Yorkshire Post Article on Leeds Met and MPP expedition

30th September 2009 15:15

A team of students and staff from Leeds Metropolitan University have taken their first steps towards conquering the Himalayas.

The intrepid group prepared for their mammoth charity journey by taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

They head out to the world's biggest mountain range in a fortnight to promote the NHS Change4Life campaign.
The classic Dales walk started and finished in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, taking in the three summits of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in a 24 mile circuit.

The team displayed their 'Feel on top of the world with Change4Life' banner at each of the highest points of Yorkshire.

The same banner will be displayed for a similar picture at Everest base camp's altitude of 5,500 metres.

Expedition member Alison Stanton said: 'When I decided to join the expedition back in January, I had never tackled something like the Three Peaks walk.

"Change4Life has been great and showed me that setting a goal helps to keep you motivated."

Heights

Jane Riley, deputy regional director of public health for Yorkshire and Humber, added: "Alison and her team have achieved great things and we wish them well in their trip to Everest.

"But you don't need to go to the same heights to feel 'on top of the world' – there are loads of fun and easy ways to move more whatever your levels of fitness and your goals."

A team of 20 Leeds Met students and staff head to the Himalayas on October 10.

They will scale 5,500 metres to the Everest base camp in Nepal before linking up with the community-based project the Self-Help Group for Cerebral Palsy (SGCP).

SGCP provides care, comfort and relief to children with cerebral palsy.

The expedition team will be involved in landscaping and decorating the charity's rehabilitation centre.

The team also aims to provide them with financial support and have already raised over £10,000.

Change4Life is creating a society-wide movement to support everyone in eating well, becoming more active and improving their health and wellbeing, and getting more out of life by making changes to their lifestyles.