Climbing Mount Everest From A Hornchurch Garden

Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has left many people with a lot of spare time at home. Naturally, people want to remain active and busy, but there is also an opportunity for people to support local charities and good causes.

We all have our level of fitness and confidence. The point of doing something to raise money should be to move beyond our comfort level and do something which challenges us. However, no matter your fitness levels, it is fair to say that climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest from your home represents a significant challenge.

Some people are scaling great heights during the lockdown

However, this was the challenge undertaken by Alex Raymond, who had been inspired by the great work and effort being conducted by NHS professionals. The serving soldier set out to replicate the climb of 8,848m in his back garden. The weather conditions in Hornchurch, ascending from his patio to the garden would be more comfortable than climbing Mount Everest, but this was still a monumental challenge!

Alex set off at 8 pm on April 15 and just short of 24 hours later, he had completed the task. Alex finished just in time to join the clap for the NHS at 8 pm on the 16th and then celebrated by ordering a pizza, having a bath and falling asleep!

He started with the aim of raising £500 but had quickly raised over £3,500, and the sum was still rising. Alex spoke to the Romford Recorder about the challenge, saying; “I wanted to do something slightly different to test myself and raise money - something which was easy to set up at home to keep the ‘Stay Home’ message going. But I only had the idea for this the day before and did no training for it!”

We all benefit when we are supported by others

There was plenty of support for the soldier during the ordeal, as he explained; “My girlfriend Danielle stayed awake with me for the whole 24 hours, supporting and feeding me, while people joined in from as far as Australia and Canada to do some steps with me via Zoom which really inspired me. In total over the 24 hours, I stopped for just half an hour, nipping to the bathroom and eating on the move.”

Admitting that he found it challenging to consume pasta while on the move, his diet during the challenge consisted mainly of protein shakes, tuna on crackers, tomatoes and Haribo for a sweet treat. Alex said the most challenging part of the task was the monotony, with the hours between 2 am and 6 pm being the most difficult.

If you are looking to support fantastic local causes, you don’t need to go to this extreme. There is a lot you can do to occupy your time while doing what you can to support community groups.

If you are keen to stay in touch with the local housing market, we can help. At Hunters Hornchurch, we are on hand to ensure you receive all the guidance you need in the local property market, and we are here to assist you.