Everest-bound 73-year-old says age is no barrier to challenge

The Nicholas Associates Group and Rotherham Titans rugby club chairman isn’t worried about undertaking the challenge at 73 — his wife, family, friends and the Advertiser are the ones highlighting the issue.

Nick, who is taking on the Bristol to Base Camp expedition to raise money for PHASE Worldwide, which was formed in his Wickersley kitchen in 2005, said: “People are worried about me going to 17,598ft in such cold weather conditions because of my age and I have no illusions about how challenging it will be, but I love the Nepalese Himalayas and it’s on the bucket list.”

Nick, who is training daily in the gym to raise his fitness levels, said wife Marie is more concerned than him, adding: “The danger is altitude sickness, which can be a serious problem, so a careful and steady trek enabling the body to acclimatise is very important.

“Fortunately for me, that means we won’t be going fast as it has to be done in a controlled manner.

“It is very cold, however, with temperatures as low as -20 deg C recorded this week.  

“At night we will take shelter in ‘tea houses’, which are basic stone built shelters, hopefully cosy in our Arctic sleeping bags.

“I shall be living mainly on a diet of dal bhat, which is a lentil stew with rice, chapatis and Tibetan tea taken with yak milk.”

PHASE Nepal has helped change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in some of the most remote and rural communities through its integrated and sustainable programmes.  

Nick says: “PHASE stands for practical help achieving self-empowerment, which is important as charity can often take away a person’s dignity.  

“Through delivery of programs in primary health, education and alternate income generation through better horticulture, husbandry and agriculture, people in these remote Nepalese Himalayan villages are able to take control of their own destiny, giving them more independence, allowing us to move on.

“It’s been a difficult couple of years, with Covid and the cost of living crisis taking their toll so the most important reason why I’m doing the trek is to raise much-needed funds.”

The month-long trip begins tomorrow with the climb and descent — carried out in conjunction with Sheffield-based expedition organisers Jagged Globe — itself taking approximately 15 days.

Last July, Nick went to 14,500 feet in Pakistan without any undue effect, but that was in the summer, so this will be much more physically demanding.

He added: “There are still countless people in need of support in Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world, and the work of PHASE Worldwide is as important as ever, although more difficult to deliver as the world economies face increasing pressures.”

The six-strong team has an ambitious target to raise over £30,000 towards PHASE Worldwide’s work in Nepal and you can donate at www.justgiving.com/page/nick-cragg-bristol-to-base-camp.