A partner in an Edinburgh law firm has raised almost £4,000 for two charities – My Name’5 Doddie and Cash for Kids by undertaking a two week long high altitude trek.
Robert Holland of Aberdein Considine and his son Daniel both completed the K2 Base Camp Trek last month covering more than 220km across the Baltoro Glacier and Karakoram Mountains in Northern Pakistan. During the challenge the pair were in one of the most remote areas with no phone coverage during the 10-hour long walks through heavy rain and flooding, rockfalls and all while enduring altitude sickness.
The climb to the foot of the world’s second highest peak was motivated by Robert’s brief friendship with the late rugby star, Doddie Weir.
Robert said: “I only knew Doddie briefly – we became commuting pals on the late-night Borders Railway train at the start of his illness. Even in those short journeys from the Capital back to the Borders, his resilience and positivity shone through. Placing a small memento for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation at the base of K2 felt like a fitting tribute. I think he would have loved seeing people push themselves to achieve something difficult in support of others. And he’d have loved the banter!
“I hadn’t been camping with Daniel since he was about 10 years old. Sharing a tent again and spending two weeks relying on each other and our wider team gave me a real reality check. It took us all out of the daily professional grind and helped us forge really strong bonds as a group.”
Daniel, (23), a Cambridge law student, said: “I learned that your body can adapt to almost anything if you give it a chance. Doing something for a cause greater than yourself will always push you on those tough days. And above all, it’s teamwork that gets you across the line. Without our incredible local guides and porters, our group of eight nationalities would never have made it.”
The almost £4,000 raised will be split between My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Radio Forth 1’s Cash for Kids, which helps give disadvantaged children and young people across the UK the chance to thrive.
Paul Thompson, Director of Fundraising and Communications, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “Trekking to K2 Base Camp is no small feat – it takes guts, resilience and a fair bit of grit, all qualities that Doddie had in abundance. We’re so grateful to Robert and Daniel for pushing themselves to the limit in his memory. Carrying a tribute to Doddie to one of the most remote places on earth is incredibly moving, and the funds they’ve raised will help us keep driving towards effective treatments for MND. It’s a challenge Doddie would have admired, and he would definitely have enjoyed the banter along the way.”
Members of the public can still support the two charities by donating via Robert’s GiveWheel page: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/9263/two-men-two-base-camps-too-ambitious-never/
