A WILMCOTE man is set to tick a trek on Mount Everest off his bucket list in memory of his Redditch business partner.

Simon Beach, aged 58, is close to fulfilling his ambition of reaching Base Camp Everest, a dream shared with business partner Alan Carter, who sadly died of motor neurone disease in June this year.

Alan and Simon were business partners for 25 years at ABC solutions, based in Redditch, and the two discussed the challenge of trekking on Everest and agreed that if one of them did it, the other would join them.

Sadly, Alan, aged 63, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in November 2017, a progressive, degenerative disease for which there is no cure.

Alan’s New Year message to his family and friends in January 2019 was“go out and do everything you want to do while you can, you don’t know how long you’ve got."

By this time Alan was totally paralysed and in need of 24/7 care.

Simon then decided to contact the the Motor Neurone Disease Association and sign up for the trek.

In preparation for the challenge, Simon planned a host of fundraising activities with his family to raise the profile of the disease.

He took part in the Shakespeare Marathon in April, the Black Mountain Challenge, a 20-mile trek with daughter Maddie, and cycled 151 miles to Weymouth.

Simon also completed the challenging Dragon Duathlon from Anglesey to Swansea, 175 miles of cycling and 30 miles of mountain running in 22 hours and 39 minutes.

This event was particularly tough for Simon as Alan died from the disease earlier in the week on June 5.

Simon said: “We were all devastated when Alan died, as we knew it was imminent,“but it doesn't make it any easier.”

Simon has pledged to raise £5000 for MNDA in order to take part in the Everest Base Camp Challenge.

He has £500 to go before he achieves that target of £5,000.

Simon added:“I’d like to thank all those who have donated so far. I’m almost there.”

People can donate to Simon's Mad for Alan campaign via justgiving.com/fundraising/simon-beacham2