Colleagues from Bolton Housing Association Raise £10,000 for Charity by Trekking to Everest Base Camp
Key Highlights :
A group of four colleagues have recently returned from an unforgettable Himalayan adventure as they trekked to the Everest Base Camp in order to raise more than £10,000 for charity. Edward Mellor, Vicki Powell, Owen Tomlin and Steve Roden, who are all from Bolton at Home, have returned to Bolton after a two-week trek to Everest Base Camp, which sits at a staggering elevation of 5,364m.
Thanks to donations from colleagues, friends, family members and others, a total of £12,500 was raised for Reuben’s Retreat, a charity which was established in 2012 following the loss of a wonderful young boy, Reuben Michael Graham. Reuben’s Retreat supports families of complexly poorly children and families of child loss, much of which is provided from their ‘Forever Home’ in Glossop. Bolton at Home has supported this charity for several years given the "delightful impact it’s had on some of their colleagues and their families".
Steve Roden, Head of IT at Bolton at Home, said: “Take 20 strangers – drop them halfway around the world away from their loved ones – remove all usual creature comforts – add physical exhaustion, freezing temperatures, lack of oxygen, and questionable toilet facilities and what do you get? A team, behind one goal, raising a huge sum for a fantastic cause and without doubt one of the best things I have ever had the luck to be a part of.”
Vicki Powell, Head of Governance, Regulation, and Business Assurance at Bolton at Home, added: “It was a real honour to be part of the Bolton at Home team supporting Reuben’s Retreat. The altitude, temperatures, and bridges were a real challenge- but the power of teamwork shone through with all of us reaching base camp and returning safely. I’ve made friends and memories for life and the support makes a huge difference to the families using Reuben’s Retreat.”
Owen Tomlin, Gas and Electric Supervisor at Bolton at Home, said: “The trip exceeded all of my expectations. I feel honoured and privileged to have been able to represent Bolton at Home on this expedition and give back to such a worthy cause in Reuben’s Retreat. I had the time of my life, made some lifelong friends and made memories that'll last a lifetime.”
Edward Mellor, Bolton at Home’s Group Director of Finance, said: “I think if we’d all been walking up to base camp as individuals, only about half would have made it, but doing it as a group helped push people along and meant we all got there together. It was a massive relief to make it and several tears that the hardest part was over. Reaching base camp will always stand out, but the friendships developed with the other 12 people on trek who came from four different continents were another standout memory.”
The group of four colleagues from Bolton at Home have achieved an incredible feat in raising more than £10,000 for Reuben’s Retreat and completing the trek to Everest Base Camp. The donations and support they have received have made a huge difference to the families using Reuben’s Retreat and will no doubt be remembered as a life-changing experience for the four colleagues. To learn more about Reuben’s Retreat, please visit www.reubensretreat.org.
