Mountain challenge to raise funds for Devon charity
An ambitious fundraiser for an Exminster charity is starting this weekend. And when we say ambitious, we really do mean ambitious.
An intrepid duo is heading all the way to the Himalayas where they’ll hike to Everest Base Camp before going onwards and upwards to Island Peak.
Supporters explain the total distance the pair will walk is a staggering 200 kilometres which is around 125 miles. That’s approximately the equivalent of going from London to Birmingham.
Now imagine completing that distance at a high altitude. John and Andy’s challenge combines a trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp before heading to the ultimate trekking peak, Island Peak at 6,189m (that’s 20,305 feet).
They will be walking and climbing over 18 days. And it starts with a flight into Lukla where the runway is on a slope.
Their support team explain it’s one of the most spectacular flights in the world with the snow line of the Himalayan range to the north – and the rugged foothills of Nepal immediately below.
Island Peak is certainly considered to be a demanding proposition which sees mountaineers scrambling over rocks and using ropes to traverse glaciers.
The team, consisting of John Powell and Andy Green, will be using ice axes and crampons for the difficult parts of their venture.
John is Director of Unicare Devon. The firm provides Domiciliary Care across Teignbridge. Andy is from One Touch Health, a software provider.
John Powell (left) and Andy Green during training for their Everest fundraiser. Image provided by Andy Green.
They’re funding the entire trip themselves so that every penny donated goes straight to Westbank, a health and wellbeing charity that supports tens of thousands of people of all ages across Devon every year.
They aim to raise £1500 for the charity which sets out to empower people to allow them to lead healthier, happier and more fulfilled lives.
‘Unicare Devon is dedicated to supporting family carers in the Teignbridge area and that’s what has inspired us to take on this fundraiser for Westbank, a fantastic Exminster-based charity that does vital work across the whole of our county,’ says John.
‘Westbank’s Devon Carers service currently provides practical and emotional support to 34,000 unpaid adult carers, the people who quietly hold up our health and care systems by supporting their loved ones every day.’
‘Westbank’s Devon Young Carers supports several thousand carers aged under 18, who often miss out on the kind of activities other young people take for granted. By making a donation, you’ll be helping us to help them.’
‘We’ve been training for months’
‘This is only my second attempt at a full-scale mountain,’ says Andy. ‘The highest I have climbed before is only 4,200m on a pass three years ago before becoming unwell with Altitude Sickness. So, it will be quite a challenge for me.’
‘However, the preparation I’ve done with an altitude simulator has been a great help and will hopefully get me to the top.’
John and Andy will be setting off on Saturday, 11th October and returning on Tuesday, 4th November 2025. One extra item they will be packing with their kit is a flag emblazoned with Westbank’s logo to place on the summit when they complete their challenge.
‘We’ve been training for months in preparation for this challenge and are funding the trip ourselves because we want to raise as much money as possible for our cause,’ says Jon.
‘We’re grateful to Classic Carers in Exminster who are kindly covering the cost of Andy’s kit hire for high altitude boots and crampons. We can’t wait to get our climb underway.’
Breaktime News has recently reported on a number of fundraising ventures for Westbank Community Health and Care.
