A Fulham FC fan made the trek to Mount Everest Base Camp earlier this month while raising money for his football team’s foundation.
Finn Babbage, 25, set out to Nepal on March 31 to complete what would be a 14-day trek ending at Island Peak and with a stop at the Everest Base Camp.
The lighting technician from Acton reflected: “It’s hard to capture the scale of the mountains there.
“It’s really surreal, because you’re seeing Everest as you make the climb up. Just to be there was really cool.”
Finn’s parents suggested he raise money for charity when he come back from summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in January and told them of his plans to climb in the Himalayas.
He decided what better charity to support than that of his favourite football team’s, the Fulham FC Foundation.
He believes it’s important to encourage children to get interested and involved in football, for their benefit as well as to keep growing the future fanbase of the Cottagers.
The Fulham FC Foundation strives to foster community, inclusivity and healthy living through soccer schools, bursaries, and school visits.
Finn has held a Fulham season ticket for five years, having been a dedicated fan for as long as he can remember.
In fact, Finn went to the Fulham-Liverpool match on April 21 just two days after touching back down on British soil.
Of course, the 1-3 result to Liverpool was not the welcome Finn was hoping for, but the knowledge he raised £2,948 for the foundation surely provided some comfort.
Finn hopes to be given the honour of placing the match ball at Craven Cottage in their game against Manchester City on May 11 as a thank you from the Fulham FC Foundation.
The foundation has 20 minutes before every home match to draw attention to those who raise money for them, as well as to speak about their work and the impact they have on communities.
Finn described the climb to Island Peak as the toughest part of the whole journey, with it being both physically and emotionally draining.
There were plenty of smiles and tears in the group upon completing the ascent at 7am, and unfolding his beloved Fulham flag is what completed the moment for Finn.
He said: “Bringing the flag out meant a lot to me. We were also just so happy that all four of us managed it and that no one had to turn back.”
The culture shock in Nepal was a big one, and the climb very different to that of Kilimanjaro according to Finn.
He credits his fellow-climbers from True Summit Adventures and the eight Sherpas acting as their guides and porters with creating a welcoming and tight-knit group he could rely on.
Finn concluded: “This year has definitely changed my life a lot. It’s been my best year so far.”
Next on the agenda is the UK Three Peaks Challenge, a task of climbing the three highest peaks of England, Scotland, and Wales within 24 hours: Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis, and Snowdon.
This won’t be his first time hiking Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, having done so last year, but he looks forward to the challenge of doing all three peaks in just one day.
Because it is a comparably much shorter climb to his others, Finn said he will probably not set up a fundraiser for it.
But he will take his Fulham flag with him as always, plus the foundation’s logo stitched onto it.
The next climb he plans to use to fundraise for the foundation is in September, when he will be tackling Mont Blanc and Gran Paradiso in the Alps.
Featured Image Credit: Finn Babbage
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