Top trekkers take on Mt Everest

Two brave trekkers, Martin and Sevinc Burt, who live locally to Shooting Star House, are taking on the tremendous challenge of trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp and the Kala Patthar summit at the beginning of March to raise funds for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. Aiming to raise £20,000, support Martin and Sevinc on this terrific trek by donating and sharing their fundraising page.

Martin and Sevinc are no strangers to these types of challenges, well versed in going on adventures and raising money for charities. They have previously cycled through Cuba, climbed Snowdonia with their children, and as part of the ‘Bottoms up’ challenge, they climbed Kilimanjaro!

“It all started with walks, but we then felt we wanted to really challenge ourselves and have an adventure so did the cycle Cuba challenge, covering 517km in five days!” explains Martin. In 2017, the couple decided to step up and take on Kilimanjaro. “It’s not just being challenged physically, there is the altitude sickness and being sleep deprived, as well as the freezing temperatures,” said Martin.

Sevinc agrees, “It was a big challenge but an amazing experience, reaching the clouds, but the biggest part of doing these challenges is being able to give back. It’s so important and we want to support families and make it a bit better.”

They first became aware of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices via Martin’s Masonic lodge Osterley 6430 which meets at Twickenham. Osterley Lodge are past donors to Shooting Star and have chosen us as their charity to support this year. In addition, there has been widespread fundraising support to this campaign from both individuals and Lodges of Middlesex Freemasons, which also raises significant funds for other community charities such as LifeLites who in turn also provide essential equipment to Shooting Star, so creating a genuine win-win scenario. Martin and Sevinc are also regular donors of items to our Weybridge charity shop. “We wanted to support a local charity, caring for those in our community, and with our various connections chose Shooting Star Children’s Hospices,” explained Sevinc.

So, this March, they will take on their latest challenge, flying out on Wednesday 1 March to trek to Everest Base Camp in Kathmandu, and not only that aim to reach the summit of Kala Patthar (a mere 5545 metres) on Sunday 12 March. They will approximately trek a mind blowing 70km, all in aid of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices!

Training is going well; “The target will be on the stepping machine to get to 350 floors in one session in February and that’s equivalent of a 1km vertical climb. That’s where we aim to be by the time we set off,” said Martin.

Alexa Dizon, Head of Challenge Events at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, “We are in awe of Martin and Sevinc and can’t thank them enough for taking on this incredible challenge in support of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. The money raised will make a huge difference to local families who are facing the toughest of times. We’ll be thinking of them this March and certainly be raising a glass to their triumph.”

Currently on an amazing £10,500, you can support Martin and Sevinc by donating and sharing their fundraising page.

Support Martin and Sevinc on this tremendous trek by donating and sharing their fundraising page. Has their challenge ‘peaked’ your interest? Why not take on your very own challenge, from walking to sky-diving there is sure to be something for you, visit our events page to see how you can help support your local children’s hospice this year.