Jet2.com pilot succeeds at high altitude

26 June 2009

A Jet2.com pilot has returned home a hero from the high altitudes of Everest after summiting the 8,850 metre mountain and raising a staggering £10,600 for Cancer Research UK.

Paul James, who is based at Blackpool Airport, has this week returned to work after taking some well earned time off, further to climbing the highest mountain on Earth. The journey began in April and Paul left Everest base camp on 17th May and successfully summited at 7.35am on 22nd May.

The ambitious pilot aimed to raise £8,850 – a pound for every metre of Everest – but succeeded in raising £10,600, almost £2,000 more than his target.

Paul, who has 25 years climbing experience after previously working as a mountain guide, chose the expedition to raise money for Cancer Research UK after his father and a close friend were diagnosed and treated for the disease last year.

Paul said: “The mission to the top of Everest was long and treacherous but worth all the effort. Fund raising for the wonderful charity which helped my father and friend through their cancer treatments means the world to me. And to be able to do this whilst challenging myself in such a way makes it a doubly rewarding experience.

“The highlight of the trip was getting back to an altitude where you can actually breathe thick air! Nothing can prepare you for the extremities of the conditions up on the mountain, which has itself claimed more than 200 lives.

“After the decent we had to take a two day drive to Kathmandu; there was a restaurant which allowed anyone who had summited Everest to eat for free for life, so steak and chips went down extremely well!”

Philip Meeson, boss at Jet2.com has supported Paul all the way in his money raising mission. He said: “I am extremely proud of Paul and very happy to see him literally flying the Jet2.com flag at the top of this amazing mountain.

“The fact that Paul has managed to raise more than £10,600 is an incredible achievement and is credit to how much effort he has put in to promoting the expedition and encouraging people to sponsor him.

“People can still donate on Paul’s Just Giving page, so please do log onto pauljameseverest.co.uk to help Paul raise more money for Cancer Research UK.”

For more information about Jet2.com, log onto jet2.com.