June 2024 - we are being joined by colleagues and Matthew's wife. Please dig in and support us to raise funds for our chosen cause, Vision Norfolk

Five members of staff at Norfolk’s sight loss charity – including one who has been blind since birth – are set to tackle the UK’s third highest mountain in a bid to raise money to boost the charity’s support for people living with sight loss.

The five, all of whom work for Vision Norfolk, will be climbing the 3,500ft Mount Snowdon in September. Included in the group is Edward Bates, hub co-ordinator at the charity’s Great Yarmouth hub and who is blind, whose ambition to climb to base camp on Mount Everest was frustrated for medical reasons.

The team will be tackling the six hour trek with the aim of raising £5,000 to support Vision Norfolk’s work helping vision impaired people live independent and fulfilled lives.

Matthew Hodder, a community outreach worker who is based at the charity’s Great Yarmouth hub, said, “Ed is such an inspirational person, and when he heard that he would not be able to make the trip to Everest base camp he was disappointed, so I suggested we should create our own Everest by climbing Snowdon - and the idea snowballed from there.”

Mr Bates and Mr Hodder will be joined on the expedition by other members of Vision Norfolk staff, including chief executive Andrew Morter, services manager and deputy chief executive Barbara Dunn, and leisure and activities co-ordinator Helen King.