ICELAND Foods boss Malcolm Walker chose a suitably chilly challenge to raise money towards a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease – scaling the world’s highest mountain.
Malcolm, 65, and son Richard, 30, have just returned from Mount Everest . . . glad to be back in one piece.
They didn’t quite reach the summit with other members of the team, but by reaching the North Col (7,020 metres) they fulfilled their personal dreams – and are now well on the way to raising £1 million for Alzheimer’s Research UK, the charity seeking a cure to the disease that will soon affect one million people UK-wide.
Malcolm said: “Getting to the top of the North Col was the most frightening and physically demanding thing I have ever done in my life.
“I will admit that I daydreamed about maybe going further and trying for the summit itself, but this has never been a suicide mission and I knew when we arrived at the top of the North Col that I had reached the limit of my endurance.
“I have learned that climbing Everest isn’t technically difficult: it’s just a very long way up and a test of survival in extreme conditions.
“Richard, who showed himself to be the strongest member of the expedition, could have stayed on to make a successful summit bid, but decided that the time was right to return to his family.
“I am immensely grateful to everyone who has already donated to help us towards our target of raising at least £1 million.
“I and the rest of the Iceland store and head office team will be working hard all year to ensure that we reach our goal, and I would urge anyone who has been thinking of making a donation to do it now.”
www.justgiving.com/icelandeverest
