THREE FRIENDS are taking on the challenge of climbing Mount Everest, from the comfort of their own home to raise money for three charities.
Eight-year-olds Harry, Lily and Zack have set out to climb the equivalent of the world’s tallest mountain — requiring them to climb their stairs 3,871 times each to reach the summit.
And they plan to complete the challenge by Friday, May 29.
The trio, who met when they were just a few days old, decided to donate all funds raised to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and The Armed Forces Charity.
Zack’s mother, Hannah MacIndoe, said: “It started out as a joke and it has become reality.
“At bedtime I often say to my son ‘what would you like to do tomorrow?’ And totally as a joke he said ‘climb Everest’. I had seen lots of charity fundraisers going around and we developed the idea from there.
“The three of them got thinking and decided to go ahead with the idea. And fast-forward two weeks and he and two friends are spending May going up and down their stairs 3,871 times each to coincide with the 63rd anniversary of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s achievement.
“They have known each other since they were a few days old, so are raising money for the hospital in which they were born, as well as the SSAFA Armed Forces charity.
“Zack was born in the Royal Berkshire Hospital and his two friends were born in Northampton. We were in the same antenatal group together.
“Harry’s dad was in the RAF so we decided to choose the Armed Forces charity as well.”
And they have already smashed their initial target of £300, raising £1,165 so far.
“They are all absolutely ecstatic with the donations,” added Ms MacIndoe. “They are checking it everyday, multiple times a day. So often new donations are coming in and they are delighted by that.
“They thought a target of raising £100 each would be a huge amount and that would have been brilliant so they love to see the fact that the percentage of donations has now gone way above that.”
To donate, visit: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/everest-explorers
