As the Steve Prescott Foundation celebrates a milestone year with a million pounds of donations reached, the latest challenge inspired by the legacy of the former St Helens fullback sees a group take on the Everest Base Camp Challenge.
The challenge follows on from the fantastic success of the Spectrum Kilimanjaro Challenge of 2015, which raised over £150,000 for the SPF and saw the team ratified by the Guinness Book of World Records as taking part in the world’s highest altitude game of rugby league.
A party of climbers led by SPF Trustee Ade Cunliffe set off on their adventure today (Thursday): they will return to the UK on 28th October. Among the group taking part is Prescott’s wife Linzi, as well as their 15-year-old son, Taylor.
The party will arrive in Kathmandu and then face an 11-day trek from Lukla to Nepal Everest Base Camp and then continue to “Kala Pattar” to reach a finishing height of 5645 meters above sea level. The Everest Base Camp trek is one of the most popular trekking routes in the Himalayas and is visited by thousands of trekkers each year. The trek is considered strenuous and will be a test of fitness, stamina and determination for all the climbers in the true spirit of Steve Prescott.
Personalities taking part in the trek are St Helens actor Michael Parr, who plays Ross Barton in ITV’s Emmerdale, and rugby league legends Lee Briers, Ade Gardner, Neil Harmon, Alan Hunte, Barrie McDermott and Mike Wainwright.
Parr says: “We will try and raise as much money as possible by climbing the biggest mountain in the world. It’s going to be challenging but hopefully the money we raise will change people’s lives.”
Donations can be made to: //www.steveprescottfoundation.co.uk/about-the-steve-prescott-foundation/support-4-steve
