AN INTREPID Widnesian is undergoing a gruelling training programme as he prepares to hike to the Everest basecamp.
Clive Lee-Peach, who has had help from his employer EDS in St Helens, has already raised more than £7,200 for the Anthony Nolan Trust in advance of his expedition which takes place on September 17.
But Clive, who will celebrate his 50th birthday while in the Himalayas, is a complete newcomer to the world of trekking and has been putting himself through his paces in preparation for the physical demands of operating at almost 6km above sea level - altitude sickness is impossible to experience in the UK.
The journey will see Clive walking through the Sagarmatha National Park to the glaciers, scree slopes and lakes of the Everest range.
During the 19-day trek he will visit many Buddhist monasteries and get to meet the Sherpas.
Clive said: 'I had no previous trekking experience when I registered for the challenge last year but since then I have been training really hard, mostly in the Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District.
'The big worry is altitude - base camp lies at 5,545m and there is nowhere in the UK to experience the effects that it can have on your body.
'I am lucky that I work for such a large company. Earlier this year I toured the company offices in St Helens and Blackpool to raise sponsorship.
'I also held street collection in the Green Oaks Centre in Widnes which raised a further £500.
'A lot of my fitness training has been at the Kingsway leisure centre in Widnes. Kinetica the operators of the centre have been really helpful and have kindly donated the value of my annual membership to the charity.
'I am delighted to say that I have raised more than £7,000 for this fabulous cause.'
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