A FINANCIAL adviser from the New Forest is swapping the office for the open air for a charity expedition.

Jason Coleman runs an office at a wealth management company at St James’s Place in Burley and will be part of a group of 26 making the trek to the Everest base camp in April.

The team will fly to Kathmandu in Nepal to trek more than 120 miles of terrain to the base camp at a height of 17,500 feet and will aim to climb Kala Patthar at 18,500 feet.

Jason, 32, and his teammates are hoping to raise £500,000 for the St James’s Place Foundation, one of the most successful company charities in the UK.

Intensive training is now underway with Jason, who climbed Snowdon and took part in the Ten Tors challenge when he was younger, currently trying alternative methods to boost his fitness.

He has been having weekly horse riding lessons over the last nine months to build his core strength, balance and the co-ordination needed to deal with the difficult terrain.

He said: “This activity, coupled with endurance running along Bournemouth beach and learning to salsa dance, which helps with teamwork, trust and co-ordination has pushed me outside my comfort zone on this challenge.

“People can look out for me when I’m running. I’m easy to spot as I always wear the Everest/St James’s Place Foundation t-shirt.”

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of St James’s Place and the money raised will go towards funding hospices and children with special needs.

Anyone wishing to sponsor Jason Coleman can go to the justgiving.com /jason-coleman website.

A popular trekking route

THE Everest Base Camp trek on the south side in Nepal is one of the most popular trekking routes in the Himalayas and is visited by thousands of trekkers each year.

From Lukla, climbers trek upward to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar.

This takes about two days and climbers then typically allow a day of rest for acclimatisation. They then trek another two days to Dingboche, before resting for another day.

Another two days takes them to Everest Base Camp via Gorakshep, the flat field below Kala Patthar, 5,545 metres and Mt Pumori.