A HEREFORDSHIRE man is aiming to trek to Everest Base Camp, despite having limited experience.

Lewes Preece, aged 42, from Brierley, near Leominster, is aiming to walk the gruelling challenge over the course of 20 days in two years’ time.

He will be joined by Adrian Bowkett, Jim McQuarrie and Andy Arnold.

Mr Preece, a social worker, decided to take up running two years ago and completed the Bupa Dublin fun run to mark his 40th birthday.

“My father passed away when I was 16 and my step-father died in 2006 from multiple system atrophy, an awful disease that saw him change from an active man to someone who was bedridden and unable to speak properly,” said Mr Preece, who works for ABC Fostering Services in Tenbury Wells.

He therefore decided to take part in the race, despite not taking any exercise, to raise money for the Sarah Matherson Trust, a charity that researches into the illness.

“I then went a bit mad and decided that I was going to complete a marathon by the time I was 45,” he said.

“I did the Great Wales Run in Cardiff and registered to do the Great North Run in 2008.”

However, he had problems with his knees, so he decided instead to put the clock back and aim for a longer, but slower paced, trek up to Everest.

“It is a personal goal of mine, but I also want to raise as much money for charity as possible,” he said.

Mr Preece said he would run in aid of St Michael’s Hospice, but is looking at other local charities.

Anyone with any suggestions can e-mail him at lewespreece@aol.

com or go online and visit lewesp.

webs.com.