Fund-raising on the Inca trail

Keywords Wedge Group Galvanizing, Charities

Two intrepid sales representatives from Wedge Group Galvanizing are due to travel to South America for a 100km trek through Peru to raise funds for charity.

Andrew Gates, of Wessex Galvanizers Ltd, Eastleigh, Hampshire, and Ian Smith of B.E. Wedge Ltd, Willenhall, West Midlands, are due to tackle the strenuous challenge to gather cash for Scope - the charity for people with cerebral palsy.

For Andrew it is not the first time that his taste for adventure has come to the fore - in March 1999 he scaled Mount Kilimanjaro (all 6,000 metres of it,and the highest mountain in Africa) on a Wedge-sponsored trip to raise money for Scope (Plate 2). In 1998 he went through the High Atlas Mountains, in Morocco,on a charity mountain bike marathon for the benefit of the McMillan Cancer Relief Fund.

 Plate 2 Andrew Gates on top of Mount Kilimanjaro

Ian has previously been on an Operation Raleigh expedition to Borneo where he helped to build a desperately-needed bridge in a small village and surveyed an underwater reef for conservation purposes.

The latest project, in May 2000, will have taken the duo on the Inca Trail through the High Andes Mountains - a trek they hope will raise tens of thousands of pounds.

In order to take part, Andrew and Ian together have to raise £5,000 in sponsorship, to which Wedge have made the first contribution. Donors are being urged to use the Gift Aid Scheme, which means that tax paid on any gift of£250 or more can be reclaimed. The duo are also arranging a variety of locally based events to help raise the sponsorship money.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can contact either Andrew on: +44 (0) 7801 619041; or Ian on: +44 (0) 1902 630311 during working hours.