How Bad Am I..?

I hope you are well and have been getting involved in some of your own adventures over the summer period.

Before I continue I just want to let you know that we have 2 new websites currently being made...

http://www.rhysmorton.co.uk about my Everest attempt in 2011 and...

http://www.steps2everest.co.uk about the Everest Base Camp Expedition in 2010... which I am about to inform you about.

The sites will not be up until late October so will just link to the old website for now.

So what has been happening..?

And yes as the subject line states I have been bad... here is why.

It has been a while since my last message went out about my Everest attempt and how things were progressing, which has been a bit lazy of me I know... the reason for my lack of updates are due to a few monumental additions to what I am doing and how we are going about fundraising, which have taken a huge amount of time and planning with no end in sight... which is a good thing and I am not complaining... much!

So I thought it was about time I got an email out to you giving you an update of what has been going on... but as i have not updated you in a while I will send you a series of emails rather than overload you with information. So this email is to give you an update on our Everest Base Camp Expedition which is happening in March next year.

Steps2Everest Base Camp Expedition 2010 and how that has been panning out with planning.

At the beginning of the year it was finally decided to organise a trip to take a group of young adults to Everest Base Camp aged 16 to 22 to give young people the opportunity to do something amazing and at the same time raise money for both Woking Hospice and The British Heart Foundation. There was a presentation held in February at Woking Hospice about the planned trip and what would be involved and expected on the three week expedition. Attendance was good with a lot of interest and questions from the audience. As a result of the evening we successfully recruited five youths to be part of the team which leaves for Nepal on the 26th March 2010. We also recruited a few more via news paper features and also through a presentation we held at Woking College just before the summer holidays.

By this time the team was up to 9 members... but then over the summer hols two team members had to drop out due to other commitments and another we had to refuse onto the team due to medical reasons, which then reduced team numbers down to six. These things are sent to try us, and this after all is a challenge, in more ways than one. Recruiting ten young adults for a "chance in a lifetime" opportunity to trek to Everest Base Camp for charity is easier said than done I can tell you. You would think that this type of amazing adventure would appeal to them in huge numbers. Well the reality is that there are more people who love the THOUGHT of doing it, than those who actually WANT to do it, but I guess that’s just human nature in action.

So we are still recruiting for a further four members to take part in this amazing adventure. We do have another presentation scheduled next week at Brooklands College in Weybridge so hopefully we will get some more team members onboard... so fingers crossed!

WE HAVE 4 SPACES REMAINING on the team so if YOU or anyone else you know would be interested in being considered for one of the remaining places then give me a call on 07538578976 or email me info@rhysmorton.co.uk and we can have a no obligation chat about the trip and what will be involved.

The whole idea behind this is that each team member will raise funds for both Woking Hospice and also The British Heart Foundation with the aim of raising £5,000 which will also cover trip costs. The other unique aspect is that all members will work as a team and lead the trekking days on the expedition and also navigate their way by following a map of our route to Everest Base Camp.

That’s it for now about the Steps2Everest Base Camp Expedition. If you are keen to find out more on getting on the team or even if you want to volunteer your help in any way such as fundraising, feel free to contact me on 07538578976 or email info@rhysmorton.co.uk

Future emails to keep a look for...

** The New World Record Attempt which has been approved by Guinness World Records®

** Also our attempt to get a well known and whacky celebrity to be patron of our expeditions and World Record Attempt!!

** Abseil event in Woking in July 2010

I hope you enjoyed the update and I promise not to leave it so long next time.

Are You Up For The Challenge?

Everest is our highest mountain. It is difficult enough to have killed many climbers in horrible falls and deep crevasses. Its altitude and the technical’s of the climb are not to be underestimated. The death zone above the 4th camp has taken many strong and skilled climbers lives. That implies that Everest requires intensive training.

You might be lucky and the climb might go well even if you didn’t do your homework. But you will certainly notice that Everest lives up to its fearful reputation should the conditions turn against you. By then though, it might simply be too late if you are not well prepared.

Everest is also an extremely beautiful mountain. And just as we continue to launch ourselves into space even though missions sometimes turn into tragedy, mountaineers will always try to climb Everest to experience the majesty, beauty, and adventure of our closest frontier to Universe. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world. From its towering altitude of 8,850 meters, it has been beckoning men and women for over a hundred years. But it wasn’t until 1953, after many recon trips and attempts that the first ascent was made by New Zealand native Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay with a British expedition.

Since then, Everest has continued to attract mountaineers from all around the world. Today, Everest still holds a powerful attraction for millions of people and is arguably the most popular mountain in the world. Everest is a highly coveted mountain and attempts to summit it are very costly. The internationally acclaimed Himalayan region attracts millions of trekkers and thousands of mountaineers every year. In 2003, Everest was the backdrop for a huge ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first ascent in 1953.

Every year, Everest Base Camp plays host to over 20 expedition teams from all across the world. In the 50s, 60s, and 70s, it was not unusual to see countries send expeditions representing their homelands to the world’s highest mountain, with countless others later in the year visiting Everest’s base camp to get a glimpse and feel of the most visited mountain in the world.

Even though you may not be keen to climb to the summit, you may be extremely interested to take on the challenge of reaching Base Camp? Base Camp sits at an altitude of around 17,200 feet. It is a great challenge and an inspiring place to be during expedition season, surrounded by tents and climbers preparing for their climb up the mountain.

If you are interested in trekking to EBC on a 3 week expedition which will take in the sights of the Gokyo lakes and cossing glaciers and high passes... then this trip will be for you.

If you are able to raise £5,000 for charity then the trip will cost you nothing as this will also cover expedition costs. For further information on the trip, please visit the website and dowload a detailed brochure or get in touch with me on 0845 2938356 (L0-call rate) for a chat about this trip.

New STEPS2EVEREST website soon to Launch

We will soon be launching the new Mount Everest Charity Challenge website, STEPS2EVEREST which will be more focused around fundraising efforts to reach our charity fundraising minimum target of £100,000.

You will also be able to sign up for news releases and event invites that will keep you informed with progress and training, also any fundraising activities we will be holding. We will also inform you offers and adventure related items that maybe of interest to you.

There will also be a section for video footage and a photo gallery for you to view and see what has been going on.

The web address will be www.rhysmorton.co.uk which is currently linked to the just giving fundraising page.

Keep an eye out for it.

Get Your Company Involved with Our Tube Collections

We have come up with a novel idea to help generate our charity target funds by using small collection tubes capable of collexcting £1 coins up to the value of £29.

The idea is that a company will take the tubes or an individual, and pass the tube around to members of staff and encourage them to fill the tube with £1 coins.

Once filled we hope that the company will match what staff have put into the tube and then send back to us the tube filled with a cheque of they can go online and make the donation through the just giving page

To get more information from us about participating in this tube collection challenge please click the image and send us an email with, company name and address, contact person and telephone number.

All companies who participate will also get a link from our tube challenge page on our new website which is launching soon.

Lets get tubing!!