Former Mayor of Dudley, Steve Waltho, has climbed Mount Everest to raise £3000 for Mary Stevens Hospice.
Steve Waltho MBE, who is currently a trustee of the charity and served as the Mayor of Dudley in the year 2015/16, hiked to Everest Base Camp to raise funds and awareness for the Mary Stevens Hospice, which supports families in the West Midlands battling the impact of life-limiting illnesses.
Steve, 63, initially hoped to raise about £1000 for the charity, however the support he and his best friend Martin generated from friends, family and colleagues meant he was able to triple his desired target.
He conquered the climb back in October 2018 and having now collected all of the money, visited the Hospice on the 21st December to make his donation just in time for Christmas.
Steve Waltho, Charity mountaineer said: “I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to tick this iconic challenge off my bucket list and raise funds for the families who are relying on the care of the Hospice every single day.
As long as I am able, I will continue to do my bit for the causes in our area who are in such need of support and I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who sponsored me and contributed to such a fantastic donation to the charity.”
Charlotte Schofield, Head of Fundraising & Lottery, Mary Stevens Hospice said: “The energy and enthusiasm with which Steve has thrown himself into this challenge and his trustee role here at the Hospice is such an inspiration to all of the team and to see him fly our flag on the highest mountain on Earth was a truly special moment.
A contribution like the one Steve’s made will make such a difference for our families here this winter and we feel so privileged to receive the support of such a remarkable man.
He’s a pillar of our community and someone that we as a region should be so, so proud of.”
Steve received his MBE in the Queen’s 2018 New Year’s Honours List for services to local government and the community, having raised roughly £250,000 for causes in the Black Country area.
To find out more about the work of the Mary Stevens Hospice, visit: www.marystevenshospice.co.uk.
Or to organise your own fundraising challenge, email: ruth.longville@mshfundraising.co.uk.
