CoL raises record amount

This year’s total stands at £65,700 ($105,000), beating last year’s £65,300 despite what organiser Graeme Chapman, MBE, described as a difficult year.

“I genuinely didn’t think it would be possible to have 16 growth years in a row while all world economies are struggling, but with a superbly loyal team and the generosity of customers and suppliers, it shows that nothing is impossible!” said Chapman. 

The event, named the Olympic Hi-Mountain Challenge, saw 12 teams walk the total distance of all the athletic events covered in the London 2012 Olympics in cold winter conditions. Many teams raised significant sums and with pledges still to come in, the OPI team – comprising Steve and Kelly Hilleard, Janet Bell, Felicity Francis and India Pride – raised £18,000. 

OPI CEO Steve Hilleard said: “It is extremely rewarding to take part in raising money for such a great cause. We’d like to thank all our sponsors for their generosity in our second year taking part.”

OPI Director Janet Bell said: “At the start of the day I couldn’t believe how far we were expected to walk. However, with plenty of encouragement from our fantastic team leaders we made it over several peaks, through clouds of mist and several falls to complete the walk. 

“It was a tremendous sense of achievement to think that this effort on our part raised such a lot of money for a good cause.”

Climb of Life’s partnership with global charity the ICR started five years ago. This year’s fundraising efforts bring the total raised for the ICR to more than £300,000. 

With the ICR’s staff of 800 international scientists, the institute is the third largest of its kind in the world. 

Over the last ten years it has been the leading researcher exploring the causes of cancer and bringing new drugs to the market. 

Keywords: Climb of life, charity, fundraising, mountain climbing, office products international, OPI