We really appreciate your support and look forward to having a fabulous day and evening with you all enjoying the stunning Langdale area and the hospitality at the meal.

Many thanks to most of you that have completed the Google Form advising of your attendance. You should have received these joining details, and a PDF of the planned route, by email already. If not, please email us.

If you are planning to come along and have not yet filled in the Google Form, we would be grateful if you could do so. It does mean we have your emergency contact details and there is the all important disclaimer which by completing the form means you have read and understood it. For completeness and transparency here it is again!

Please note – The challenge involves demanding, vigorous exercise. You will be expected to walk continuously for a number of hours in mountainous areas, often over difficult terrain and in variable weather conditions. Participants are responsible for making sure they are prepared for the challenge by training and bringing the required kit and equipment. Please seek medical advice to check you are fit and capable of taking part in the walk. By registering for this event, I agree to the following statements:

• I agree to abide by all government and local guidelines with regard to covid-19 including, but not limited to; not attending the event if I have been feeling unwell immediately before the event takes place, and removing myself from the event if I become unwell during any part of the event
• I am over 16 years of age
• I understand it is my responsibility to make sure I am medically fit and capable of participating in the event and that I am properly trained
• I understand that participation in the event could include actions that may be hazardous. I understand that is essential to take extreme care when encountering livestock, steep drop offs, uphill sections, roots, mud, rocks, bad weather etc
• I agree that the event organiser LED reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to stop any participant from taking part if the individual is deemed unfit to participate, including mid-event removal where necessary
• I agree that failure to comply with any instruction from event officials and marshals or any breach of any rules and regulations governing the event will result in you being asked to leave the event
• I agree to the use of my personal data for the purpose of LED communicating with me about the event

Anyway that’s the serious (and important stuff out of the way) so here’s the logistics and timings for the day and evening

Saturday 14 May 2022: Logistics and timings

0900 – Meet at Stickle Barn car park (New Dungeon Ghyll hotel) at Grid reference NY294064 / Postcode LA22 9JX (please note it is a pay and display car park although free to National Trust members!)
0915 – Headcount and safety briefing
0930 – Commence Walk (see details below)
1800 – Meet at Chapel Stile Village Hall (LA22 9JE), details at this link for good food and company (we have booked the hall for the full day so if you wish to get there earlier please do so – we believe there is also use of a shower if people are not staying locally and wish to change)

We can provide a PDF map of the planned walk and have options to do other variations of this route if there is poor visibility. A lower level route has also been planned if the weather is truly foul!

We appreciate most of you are experienced hill walkers so please come dressed and equipped for the terrain and weather. Please let us know if anyone wants to have a suggested kit list. One of the Trustees will have a group first aid kit (please do bring your own especially any personal medication etc), group shelter and bivvy bag.

We all are really looking forward to seeing you on what we hope will be a great day and evening. If you have any questions about the day please do let us know.

Best wishes

Val and LED Trustees
Light Education Development

For the past couple of years, during the COVID pandemic, we’ve focused funds into very necessary ad-hoc projects – in particular food distribution – in the remote communities in Nepal and Peru that we support.

With the expectation that Val can get back to Peru and Nepal in 2022, we are hoping to refocus the charity back onto core projects – solar light distribution, education and health development, and we’ve agreed to fund the following projects:

Peru

• Funding the Quishuar Health Post
• Solar light distribution and school supplies (lights specifically in Alpamayo, Piscaraccga and Pischcopampa)
• Mobile clinic

Nepal

• Funding the Rasuwa District Health Post
• Ongoing solar lights and school supply distribution, building on previous years work
• Funding a teacher in Thame
• Mobile clinic

As ever, we’ll be providing ongoing updates via Facebook (Facebook/LEDCharity) and donations are always welcome using our JustGiving page.

In Peru

• Continued to keep Quisuar health post open and stocked with the help of our nurse, and provided transport of all medicines to the area 

In Nepal

• Funded food distribution in Tilje and communities on west of Manaslu area with the help of Somi Gurung
• Food distribution with the help of Tsering Darkya in Samdo 
• Food and medical supplies to Langtang and Rasuwa Solu with the help of The Partners Nepal 
• Food distribution in various villages of Rasuwa with the help of Bhudi Tamang 
• Food distribution with the help of Dr Kami Temba and Yangji Sherpa in Khumbu 
• Tree project reforestation in Langtang area through Ang Rita of The Partners Nepal 
• Continued help with Bung old people’s home
• Completed the solar light distribution project for Tsum and Manaslu area funded by the donation from The Derek Moore Foundation with help from Tsering Darkya, Ang Chhering Sherpa and Bhudi Tamang 
• Delivered medical supplies for health posts and completed a much needed health survey in cognitive development of children in areas of food shortages for a medical project in Tsum and Manaslu area, again with help from Tsering Darkya, Ang Chhering Sherpa and Bhudi Tamang 
• Follow up food distribution in Rasuwa 
• Help for communication / online classes in Khumbu area enabling school students to continue their education during COVID
• Medical supplies to health posts in Khumbu area via Himalayan Trust 
• Thame teacher funding, with Dr Kami kindly organising this for us 

Thank yous

A huge thank you to Melky and Antonia Bedon in Peru for their unstinting help and support in getting all supplies to Quisuar for its continued running and for overseeing all issues with the health post.

A massive thanks to all helpers in Nepal and especially to Tenzing in Pokhara for unfailing organisation and help to get the funds once in Nepal to the right people and places for all of the projects to work.

Special thank yous to Bhudi, Ang Chhering, Tsering Darkya, Dr Kami, Yangji Sherpa and Ang Rita Sherpa.

And to everyone who helps with their very generous support, Thank you – Tuche – Gracias

https://www.justgiving.com/lighteducationdevelopment

The Braithwaite Institute was a great place to hold our evening event, and to dry off after a rather wet and soggy and windy walk.

Thank you to everyone who came along, to those who helped on the day and in the preparation and organising, and to fundraisers, sponsors and donators old and new.

A few words from Val –

“I’d like to say a special thanks to everyone for attending our 2021 Fundraising event and to all who helped to make Saturday such a success, including Wakeman’s Cafe in Ripon for their delicious scones!

And in particular, special thanks to Codey, Geoff and Danny for walking in their ballet outfits and raising so much – over £2500 and counting….”

The 2021 Fundraising Weekend page on Just Giving will be open for donations until 04 October: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/2021LED.

It will be located in and around the village of Braithwaite, near Keswick, with plenty of walk options available including the full Coledale Horseshoe.

We will be holding our evening event at the Braithwaite Institute, the village hall in Braithwaite. There will be dinner, drinks and plenty of opportunity to catch up with friends old and new. 

Registration will be £20 per person and an additional £25 per person if you would like to join us for dinner after the event. If you would like to attend, please complete our online registration form.

The 2021 Fundraising Weekend page on Just Giving is: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/2021LED

If you’ve not already sorted out accommodation, please do!

While we aim to continue with our solar lighting distribution (and a huge thank you to those who participated in the individual Huayhuash Challenges in March and early April), we are specifically aiming at our September fundraiser to raise in the region of $10,000 USD to provide medical funding for the health posts we support in both Peru and Nepal.

We’ll give more updates as we progress towards September. In the meantime, stay safe and fingers crossed we can all gather in the Lakes on 11 September.

It will be located in and around the village of Braithwaite, near Keswick, with plenty of walk options available including the full Coledale horseshoe.

Registration details will be sent out shortly after the next Government announcement (expected around the third week of May), which is currently intended to update us all on the easing of restrictions around self-catering and holidaying options in the UK.

In the meantime we know a number of friends and supporters have sourced nearby accommodation which, given proximity to Keswick, is in fairly plentiful supply. We are hoping to have an evening event on the Saturday but cannot confirm a venue yet until we are able to travel ourselves and check venues out. We plan to have the evening do as close as possible to Brathwaite, if not in the village itself. 

The last year has necessarily seen LED shift focus in terms of what we do given the constraints of travel for Val and also the health issues in both Peru and Nepal. A lot of funds raised this year have been used to provide food to the communities we usually reach with our lighting, medical and educational supplies. Both Peru and Nepal have suffered a range of shortages and our friends on the ground in both countries have made fantastic efforts to get our support out to the villages that have needed it the most.

While we aim to continue with our solar lighting distribution (and a huge thank you to those who participated in the individual Huayhuash Challenges in March and early April), we are specifically aiming at our fundraiser event in September this year to raise in the region of $10,000 USD to provide medical funding for the health posts we support in both Peru and Nepal.

We’ll give more updates as we progress towards September on this. In the meantime, stay safe and fingers crossed we can all gather on the 11th September.

From the comfort of your own home – where else?? – we challenge you to:

• Walk 210km, or
• Climb 10,460m
• or both!

The challenge runs throughout February and March, concluding on Friday 02 April 2021 – so you can indulge in Easter treats galore!

We’ll have prizes for:

• First to 210km
• First to 10,460m ascent
• Longest distance overall
• Highest ascent overall

… plus some Trustees’ Specials – let your imagination run wild: do it in fancy dress, carry your own kit bag, go three-legged, be the youngest, be the oldest!

You can ask sponsors to settle up via “Val’s Huayhuash Circuit Challenge” campaign page on JustGiving – www.justgiving.com/campaign/LED2021 – or create your own fundraising page on that page. Scroll down for tips.

But you can use whatever fundraising mechanism you like – set up a Facebook fundraising page, collect your sponsorships the traditional way and send us a one-off donation via our JustGiving page, or set up your own fundraising page elsewhere.

Let us know how you go via Facebook – comment at www.facebook.com/LEDCharity or do your own updates and remember to tag our LED account so others can see whats going on.

Not a facebook fan? Email us at LED.Charity@gmail.com.

GOOD LUCK!

Want to set up your own Huayhuash Challenge fundraiser on Just Giving?

Go to the Val’s Huayhuash Circuit Challenge 2021 page, click on “Start Fundraising”, select “Fitness at home” – and take it from there!

Just need the links?

Here they are: