Haute Route for Sands

Have you heard the one about 5 Brits, a Swiss man and a Bolivian donning their skis and backpacks to ski tour from Chamonix to Zermatt? Well this is the challenge that we have set ourselves……the Classic Ski Tour Haute Route….. 120km, 6,000m of climbing, scaling 8 mountains, 5 nights in mountain huts with just a backpack and Ben’s snoring for company, all covered in 6 days of skinning up some of the highest peaks in Europe.

Whilst some might call this a midlife crisis, we are viewing it as a great challenge to test us all in a way that will be hard to beat. We also see it as an apt opportunity to raise some funds for charity. We are therefore asking for your support to raise some much needed funds to support the work of Sands - the stillbirth and neonatal death charity.

This charity is very dear to us all, as one of our group, Paul and his wife Lucy, have had the benefit of Sands’ support following the birth of their twins (Annabel and Charlie) last summer. After being born 2 months early, both twins needed support breathing, but Annabel suffered some medical complications and passed away after 2 days. This devastating event has left a hole in their family, but the support received from Sands, and from others in similar situations, has been of great comfort. Whilst nothing can change what has happened, the work of Sands (with your support) will mean that fewer parents will have to deal with baby loss, and those families who are impacted will have the support they need.

Please do take a moment to visit the Sands website to learn more about what they do: https://www.sands.org.uk/about-sands 

By way of an overview, Sands works to:

- Reduce the number of babies dying;
- Ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it.
- Better understand the causes of baby deaths.
- Raise awareness of the issues relating to baby loss.
- Provide bereavement support services.
- Improve bereavement care available to parents and families.

We know that many of you will receive many requests to give to charity, but we welcome all and any donations, as big or as small as you feel appropriate. I can assure you, from our training to date, and understanding of the challenge that the Haute Route represents, your support will provide us with the motivation we need to tackle those climbs and high alp conditions when morale may be at its lowest.

We would like to thank you all for taking the time to read this and for your generous donations.

Ben, Chris, Ivo, James, Mike, Paul and Roman