UK wine shipper ‘Everests’ for South African children’s charity

UK wine shipper Mentzendorff completed an ‘Everesting’ cycling challenge on Sunday to raise funds for a pre-school in South Africa’s Hemel-en-Arde wine region, which is funded by Hamilton Russells Vineyards.

Six cycling employees of the London-based wine business, known collectively as The Mentzendorff Wheelers, chose a hill and rode up and down it until each one had ascended a metric mile (1,500m), which took on average 3.5hrs.

The aim was for the riders to collectively ride up the height of Everest (8,848m) in an ordeal called ‘Everesting’.

Having completed the challenge, and together ascended 9,073m, Mentzendorff will contribute £1 for each metre climbed to the Hemel-en-Arde Valley pre-school.

The charity event was organised by Mentzendorff MD Andrew Hawes, who told db that it had been a good way to put “our frustrated lockdown fitness to some good use in raising funds”.

He also drew attention to the worthy nature of the cause, explaining that the pre-school “does a brilliant job in providing a safe and educational environment for the local children helping to ensure that they will get to start formal school properly. something that sadly for many in South Africa does not happen.”