Simon Quinton Smith takes on Nepal trek for Greenfingers
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 Could you trek around Nepal for Greenfingers Charity? Some might say “possibly”. Would you trek to 6000 metres altitude around the world’s third highest mountain in Nepal for Greenfingers Charity? Most would say “unlikely”. Would you do that Nepal journey of 250 kilometres in winter in just 23 days without any comforts of home?
Everyone but Simon Quinton Smith, bon viveur and director of Quinton Edwards would probably say a flat “NO”. It is more than a few steps away from his Chartered Surveyors business in Newbury that specialises in property and business advice to the garden centre and horticultural industry.
But as a great friend of Greenfingers Charity, Simon agreed to do the winter trek around Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, only if it would raise substantial sums for his favourite charity. So far donations to the Simon Quinton Smith page on JustGiving.com have attracted funds of £1665, but Simon hopes that he can double this sum before he leaves for the Himalayas.
As he prepares for his departure next week, Simon told us, “I must do these sorts of challenges while I am able and while I can generate plenty of funds for Greenfingers - a charity that continues to build therapeutic gardens in the grounds of children’s hospices.” Simon and his intrepid family are regular supporters of Greenfingers Charity. His daughter Millie took part in last year’s Greenfingers Skydive and his son Josh took part in this year’s Richard Jackson’s Flower Power Art Challenge. But trekking around Himalayan mountains is a completely different challenge. Apart from demanding terrain and few other trekkers this K3 Base Camp Trek is remote and at altitude. Simon says, “I hear that altitude sickness is one of the biggest problems, so fingers crossed I can complete this trek. Yes, it’s going to be tough, but I am I doing it to support a GREAT cause.” Unlike the Everest Base Camp trek which is done by 35,000 tourists a year staying in modern accommodation, eating cheese burgers and drinking ice cold beers whilst uploading their photos to Facebook, Kanchenjunga sees less than 1000 tourists per year. The remote heights, breath-taking scenery, and challenging landscapes are said to lure a breed of trekker looking for something extra. They want to experience the real Himalaya, the old Himalaya without comfortable mattresses or take-aways. Donations on Simon’s JustGiving page will show you the huge personal challenge that Simon is undertaking and the work that Greenfingers Charity does designing and building therapeutic and recreational gardens in hospices established to benefit children with life-limiting conditions.
To sponsor Simon, visit his online giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Simon-Quinton-Smith1
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