Legacy
The Everest Test world record attempt hopes to raise £250,000 for charity across Britain, the Himalayas and developing world. The playing kit will also be donated to the local Khumjung School. Click the links below to explore what each charity does and why it is relevant to our expedition.
The Himalayan Trust
Set up by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1960, the Himalayan Trust works to protect and preserve the environment and national parks in Nepal and to help alleviate poverty and sickness in the region. It supports local communities by teaching skills that can help them to overcome problems so they can provide a future living.
The charity's emphasis is on preserving both local tradition and lifestyle, investing in education and building infrastructure and working on basic health and forestry programmes. The Trust only works on projects originating from a specific request by a local group or community. It operates with minimal running costs and with an educated sensitivity to the Himalayan area. Only local people are paid by the charity. Chairman, George Band, was on the original successful expedition to summit Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953.
The Lord's Taverners
The Lord's Taverners is one of the UK's leading youth sports and disability charities and cricket's official recreational charity.
Their mission is to give a 'sporting chance' to young people in need; those who through physical, mental, social, environmental or economic disadvantage, not of their own making, would otherwise miss out.
They achieve this by encouraging participation in youth cricket, particularly in disadvantaged areas - providing grants towards non-turf pitches, funding for youth cricket competitions and donating hundreds of cricket bags to clubs and school teams across the UK. Also, supporting recreational and sporting activities for youngsters with special needs - donating specially adapted minibuses and sports wheelchairs giving young people vital transportation and access to sport, and providing grants for play and sports equipment.
This year The Lord's Taverners will help tens of thousands of young people of all abilities and backgrounds participate in cricket and other sporting and recreational activities.
Khumjung School
Located at 12,475 feet, Khumjung School was built by the Himalayan Trust in 1960 for the Sherpa children and is also known as the Hillary School. With 500 places it is the largest school in Khumbu, welcoming children from all the surrounding villages and delivering both primary and secondary education. Before it was built, local children had to board at schools located a week's distance away.
We'll be playing cricket with the children on the outward journey to Gorak Shep, and stopping off to donate our cricket equipment to the school on the way back.