The infamous Climb of Life (COL), the major charity fund raiser for the Institute of Cancer Research, takes place on 7 November 2014
The theme for this year's Climb of Life, the industry charity event that raises thousands of pounds for charity every year is: 'You take the high road (or high street!)'. It will be the 27th year that the incredible event takes place, each year raising more funds than the year before and making a real difference to the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR). Once again the main sponsor is VOW, who in previous years has been represented by the entire board, and the main manufacturing sponsor is Newell, also always represented in the mountains.
Around 100 industry trekkers will be participating in this major mountain endeavour. A donation to the BOSS Benevolent fund and other good causes will also be made. The group is hoping to beat last year's record of £81 380. Beating the previous year's total is what drives the group and it has been achieved for 18 years in succession! This year's theme indicates that many of the teams will meet on the summit of High Street, one of the Lakes' highest and most rugged peaks. There in force again will be top people from the ICR.
Organiser and fund raiser extraordinaire Graeme Chapman MBE says: "I never planned for the Climb of Life to continue this long but it's hard to ignore the many fund raisers and sponsors who encourage me to keep going for the sake of Cancer Research. I can't promise I'll still be doing it when I'm 100! I do, however, have four very willing helpers who are taking on some of my work load; Frances and Jason Stephen and Andrew and Susie Stacey.
"We even now have a Climb of life branch in the USA raising $ for a similar Institute in the States called City of Hope."
The teams will climb many of the highest Lakeland Mountains, in cold winter conditions, on Friday 7 November, based at the usual venue and Wordsworth's favourite inn – The Swan Hotel in Grasmere. The management and staff at the hotel are brilliantly enthusiastic supporters of the event every year and participate fully. Channel Info is, once again, a main media sponsor.
The able team that Graeme Chapman MBE has assembled to help with the organisation of the event consists of: VOW's Andrew Stacey and his wife Susie, and Frances and Jason Stephen from Springfield.
Last year there was a special guest appearance from superstar mountaineer Alan Hinkes OBE. Hinkes is a mountaineer from Northallerton in North Yorkshire who is the first British mountaineer to have claimed all 14 mountains with elevations greater than 8000 metres. Graeme had met him at an event and told him about COL and he agreed to take part. He was good to his word and presented all the certificates on the evening of the trek.
The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world's most influential cancer research institutes, with an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. Scientists and clinicians at the ICR are working every day to make a real impact on cancer patients' lives.
Today, it is ranked as the UK's leading academic research centre, and leads the world at isolating cancer-related genes and discovering new targeted cancer drugs.
The ICR's unique partnership with The Royal Marsden hospital and 'bench-to-bedside' approach allows it to create and deliver results in a way that other institutions can't. Together the two organisations are rated in the top four cancer centres globally.
As a college of the University of London, the ICR also provides postgraduate higher education of international distinction. It has charitable status and relies on support from partner organisations, charities and the general public.
The ICR's mission is to make the discoveries that defeat cancer. It works closely with a number of funding organisations, including Cancer Research UK, Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the Wellcome Trust.
Photographs courtesy of Charlie Perry Photography