Business owner looks to reach new heights to help charity

A leading business owner in Bourne is planning to scale new heights to raise money for charity.

Karl Hick, chairman of the award-winning Larkfleet Group, which focuses on development and sustainable technology, has unveiled plans for an expedition to Mount Everest.

Mr Hick says the aim is to raise funds and awareness for stroke sufferers after his wife, Helen Hick suffered an unexpected stroke in 2019.

He plans to climb the 8,848 metres of Mount Everest with two of his sons and two work colleagues.

The team has already started an intense physical training programme and has just set off to Nepal and the Himalayan mountains for the two week trek.

The aim is to raise £50,000 for The Helen Hick Stroke Foundation , a charity which has been set-up to help support sufferers and their families from strokes and to help avoid future cases in the UK.

Mr Hick said: “After witnessing Helen suffer from a stroke and seeing what little support was available to help the victims made me angry.

“I was upset to think that many people before Helen had suffered and been given very little support or help.

“More concerning was that there are many things that everyone can do on a regular basis which will prevent strokes from even happening.

“I quickly started thinking of ways I could help.

“My first idea was to set-up a charity and have a fund raising event which would capture the imagination of the public and raise, not only some funds, but also awareness.

“I also distributed leaflets to my employees explaining what they could do in their own lives to help prevent themselves and their families from this suffering.”

Mr Hick’s Everest challenge will not only create awareness but also create support groups, offer advice and reassurances for stroke sufferers.

New figures show that across the UK there are more than 1.3 million stroke survivors, with over 100,000 having a stroke every year, which means someone is suffering from a stroke every five minutes.

Anyone who would like to help can make donations can be made at www.justgiving. com/fundraising/helenhickstrokeeverest

The Everest team with Karl Hick, right.