Age UK Hythe, Lyminge and Ashford - Dementia Support

As you know we are a charity and we rely heavily on donations, legacies and grants.

The Everest Base Camp Trek on the Nepalese side (South side), is one of the most popular trekking routes in the Himalayas, and myself, Emma-Jayne and Sam, who is living with Dementia (better known as Santa) have decided to take on the challenge in October of this year to raise funds for Age UK Hythe, Lyminge and Ashford.

Climbing to Everest Base Camp is a definitely a challenge not to be taken lightly, but it is an achievable one! We don’t need any specialist equipment or technical climbing skills as this is a trek on mountain paths, gentle gradients but, of course, with some steep sections.

Going to Everest base camp is challenging both emotionally and physically, but we know that we can do it especially with your support.

The aim is to raise in the region of £30K in total, if we can raise more that it would be amazing.

All funds raised will stay local and be donated to Age UK Hythe, Lyminge and Ashford to enable them to continue their amazing work for our older population.

Here is a little about us.

Hi I’m Cleo Smith 47 years young married to Neil with 2 now grown up children, Oliver 24 and Davina 23.

I started my childhood with the dream to be a professional dancer and attended Pattison's Dancing Academy and college based in my home town Coventry City from the age of 7. When I was 13 my parents moved to Kent and I followed where I continued my passion for Dancing at Studio Six. At the age of 18 I soon realised that the life of a Dancer wasn't for me, I was such a home bird the thought of being away from home was too much, especially as my sister Harriet had just come into the world.

I then started a carer in care working at Bethany Lodge a home for young adults of similar age to myself. I had a short break to look after my children before returning to work part time.

Having worked with young adults, which was sometimes very emotional due to their circumstances I took a leap of faith away from care and tried Dental nursing, which was definitely not my vocation in life. I returned back to care working my way up to Registered Manager of a residential home when I decided that I wanted to venture into the world of the voluntary sector and was successful in my application for the post of Chief Officer for Age Concern Hythe and here I am 18 years later having gone through 2 full mergers forming Age UK Hythe Lyminge and Ashford.

I love my job and the challenges that we face as an organisation, the recent Pandemic embedded my passion to want to help people, and my biggest achievement to date is receiving a British Empire Medal for my charity work.

Over the years Age UK Hythe Lyminge and Ashford have seen a reduction in funding and each year it is harder to raise funds, so whilst we continue to raise money generally with our everyday fundraising efforts this challenge pushes me both physically and emotionally, whilst taking me outside of my comfort zone.

When my challenge buddies Emma and Sam who lives with Dementia spoke to me about Basecamp I couldn’t not accept. I appreciate that it is not going to be easy and will be spending my time getting ready for the challenge ahead by going in long treks and improving my fitness, which in itself is a challenge!

I hope that people can get behind us and support our mission to raise the vital funds required to continue to support older people in our community.

NAMASTE

Hi I’m Emma-Jayne and I am a 47 year old Mum to 2 sons, Dinks 27 and Dylan 25.

I recently became a Nonna to a beautiful little girl called April.

I have worked for Age UK FOR 27 years with a gap of 9 months to travel Italy in 2020 and got locked down there!!!! I believe this moulded me to believe I can do anything I put my mind too.

I have had a calling to help people all my life and working at Age UK had forfilled that passion.

I ran our Dementia Daybreak for over 5 years and like to promote awareness to dementia whenever I can.

It has been a life long dream to visit Nepal and for this opportunity to have risen and to also raise money for a charity close to my heart and with 2 special people is something else. To be part of a team challenge like this is HUGE for me. I can’t wait to get going!!

This challenge will tick so many boxes personally and to help people I share my time and passion with during my working days.

NAMASTE