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OK friends, first the serious bit.

On Friday 28 September 2012 a small plane took off from Kathmandu to fly a party of Everest Base Camp trekkers to Lukla.  It crashed, there where no survivors. On the plane was a man called Tim Oakes, he was the LCC advisor for Burscough Priory Science College where I was Chair of Governors.  I knew Tim for about four years, a true gentleman, dedicated, knowledgeable and committed to the students, staff and schools that he was responsible for.  I very quickly developed a great admiration and respect for him.  He sometimes spoke of trekking to Everest Base Camp as an ambition.  His family draw comfort from the knowledge that he died doing something that he really wanted to do.

I reach the big Six Oh in April 2014 and feel that I still have a decent challenge in me, so I have decided that as my tribute to a great man, I will attempt to complete what Tim set out to do.  My good friend and sax guru, Andy Brocken was away scaling Kilimanjaro when Tim died, when I told him of my intention in early October 2013, he only hesitated for a few moments before saying that he would join me. 

 

The nuts and bolts are that I will do the trek as a sponsored event in aid of the Spinal Unit Action Group at Southport Hospital.  They were incredible for my mum when her life changed irreversibly and the staff on the unit go ‘the extra mile’ every single day.

The cost of the trek is my birthday present, so any and all sponsor ship that I get will go to SUAG.