• About The Patch Expedition
• Climbing in Aid of Unicef
• Meet The Team
  • The Patch Team
• Corporate Sponsors
  • Become a Corporate Sponsor
• Training for Everest
  • Technical
  • Physical
  • Mental
  • Nutrition
• Climb Your Own Everest
• Climbing Everest
  • Everest Facts
  • The Gear
  • The History of Everest
  • The Route
  • Altitude and Illness
    • Our Bodies and Oxygen
    • Altitude and Oxygen
    • Acclimatisation
    • The Death Zone
    • Supplemental Oxygen
    • Sickness on the Big Hill
• FAQ's

 

 

Meet The Team - Patch Team

Sarah Hart

I grew up on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales and was always quite sporty. During my school years I was a member of the Scouts (first female scout in Wales) and became involved in outdoor pursuits spending many a weekend in the nearby mountains of Snowdonia. On finishing school I studied Law at Coventry University and satisfied my adventurous streak by joining the Army’s Birmingham University Officers Training Corps (OTC) which I loved! It was through the OTC that I travelled to the Italian Dolomites and experienced the Via Ferratta (the name commonly used to describe the high level footpaths found in the Alps that use fixed cables for protection and steel ladders to surmount difficult sections), an amazing experience I would recommend to anyone!! On returning to North Wales I transferred into my local Territorial Army Unit where the adventure continued, including learning to ski.

Having moved back to North Wales I now enjoy getting out into the mountains with Stevie and have decided to make time to prioritise getting out whenever possible. Stevie and I live in the Clwydian mountain range and it’s fantastic being able to walk out of the front door and be in the hills. Snowdonia is only about an hours drive away and therefore we have very accessible training grounds nearby. What I love about being in the mountains is the immense feeling of total freedom – away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I also get a strange feeling of satisfaction on returning home all achy and feeling like I have achieved something!

Steve Rogers

I was born in Chester and grew up in Flintshire in North Wales. Despite having some fantastic mountains on my door step, growing up all I ever wanted to do was play football. I always enjoyed being part of a team and thrived on the competitiveness that sport brings. I was first introduced to the mountains during a school skiing trip to the Italian Alps, however, it wasn’t until I joined the Territorial Army (TA) and met Sarah that I found my calling for the great outdoors.

After school I studied Pharmacology (that’s the study of the drugs and nothing to do with farm animals) at the University of Leeds. After gaining my degree I returned back to North Wales and followed a long line of family members by joining the TA. Whilst a member of the TA, I continued to play football and managed to find myself in the national TA football team, however, mountaineering had also started to take its hold. I began learning the mountaineering ropes (pun-tastic) during my basic training and continued to develop them during our regular adventurous training weekends in the mountains of Snowdonia. The TA also reignited my love of skiing and I gained the military advanced alpine skiing award.

It's certainly no coincidence that my new found adventurous streak coincided with meeting Sarah. She was very much an outdoors girl and as such I found myself following her over mountains and along ridges most weekends from then on in. Now I can't get enough of it and enjoy nothing more than getting out and spending long days in the mountains with not much more than a map, a flask of coffee and a few corned beef sarnies!!

Questions and Answers Black Sarah, Red Steve

Why Everest?

For me it's the ultimate challenge. I’ve always felt that I needed to do something special, something different and to have adventure in my life. Everest can be all those things for me. I also wanted to do something that I can look back on when I'm old and say, I did that! In addition, I hold the belief that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things with enough belief and dedication. When we reach Everest we will have raised a significant amount of money for charity which means we can give something back to the world. Knowing that we have been able to plan the expedition, train for it and raise the money to go will be a huge achievement and I think it will increase our confidence to always believe in ourselves and aim high in the future.

Like Sarah, I believe that climbing Everest is going to be the challenge of a lifetime. Before we even set foot on the mountain, in just over a 12 month period, we need to learn a whole new set of winter mountaineering skills, get our bodies in peak physical condition by training six times a week, raise tens of thousands of pounds in sponsorship and do all of this whilst working full time. It’s going to be a long tough year but the potential rewards are amazing. If we meet our targets then come June 2011 we will have raised in the region of £100,000 for Unicef. This money will be used to help some of the poorest children in the world and there is simply no greater achievement than that.

What do you think is going to be the best part of the journey?

I think there will be a number of highlights. Predominantly, actually getting to the point where we know we’ve raised the sponsorship money we need and that we're on our way. Then there’s the physical and mental challenge of actually climbing the big E!

It sounds extremely cheesy, but I believe the best part of the journey will be the journey itself. By organising this project we have already been to some beautiful places, done some fantastic things and met some amazing people. These are the things that you just wouldn't normally get to do and, although there are going to be times when it gets hard and I'll wish I could just sit in front of the TV with a beer, I'm looking forward to every single bit of it.

Is there anything that worries you about taking this on?

Lots!! The main thing that worries me is managing to fit in all the work required to organise this expedition whilst working full time. I have a stressful job which can be quite draining and I have already had moments where the enormity of what we're taking on hits me! Then there’s the concern that once we reach Everest, one, or both of us, could become seriously ill and I’m very aware of the dangers we’re taking on. However, I do believe we can achieve it and the risks we are taking are calculated!

Honestly, Dying!! Oh and the heights! However, in the spirit of positive thinking I have no doubt that we can both achieve what we’ve set out to do and return home safely.

What do you think you will miss while you're away?

Warmth, comfort and feeling well – all these things will be sacrificed once we arrive at base camp!

Absolutely, 100% and without doubt, my mums roast dinners and our electric blanket.

If you had to describe yourself in three words what would they be?

Warm, calm and bonkers!

Ambitious, focussed and STRESSED

If you could be someone else for a day who would you be?

Richard Branson – then I could get this expedition sorted and financed within one day! Ooh the power!

I think it would have to be Bono from U2 or someone similar, who's got tonnes of experience of raising money for charity. I could through a gig somewhere and raise even more for Unicef!

What's the meaning of life?

To live and to love

Not to spend so much time answering these questions!

Favourite place in the World?

Our house! It’s a little old School House in a charming little village in the hills. Driving home you turn a corner and suddenly all the hills appear and you know that in five minutes time you will be home. No matter how hectic things get I always experience a moment of relaxation and pleasure when I reach this point. I also love experiencing the different seasons up where we live. From the beautiful crisp white snow in the winter, the vast array of flowers in the spring and summer and finally the beautiful autumn colours. It’s a very happy home and our special place to retreat to.

Although I love being in the mountains, there really is no place like home.