Melton expedition company take first visually-impaired party to Everest

Venture Force, which is based at Pera Business Park on Nottingham Road, say the mission will prove that anyone can take on adventure travel whatever the challenges they may face.

They are due to fly out to Nepal tomorrow (Thursday) before starting the trek on Monday with the aim of ascending more than 5,000 metres to Base Camp by November 15.

Among the sighted guides on the trip are Stephan Dudman-Millbank, of Frisby, and Jane Knight, of Wymondham.

Tom Tuckwood, expedition manager and director of the company, told the Melton Times: “We’ve become really aware that there are people out there with a visual impairment who think this sort of thing is not for them.

"We want to open it up and say there are lots of things you can do, you’ve just got to want to do it.”

The group will have to overcome temperatures which plunge to minus 10 after the sun goes down aside from the challenge of some of them climbing while not being able to see the environment.

They have been away on three training weekends over the last couple of years with the trip having been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tom, a former police officer who assisted with mountain rescues in the north-west of Scotland, added: “For us as an expedition company it plays into our hands because to acclimatise you have to go slowly.

"Some people rush up Everest without acclimatising properly and they fail miserably.

“Because we will be moving slowly and taking our time and describing the views it means we stand a far better chance of acclimatising.

“Up to now we’ve had a 100 per cent record. This is about the sixth time we’ve led a team there but the first visually impaired team.”

Venture Force also specialise in wildlife conservation expeditions and next year they will accompany students at Long Field Spencer Academy to support elephants in Thailand.