All done! See below or see photos
My name is Andy and I’d like to talk about the building in the picture which you may well recognise as the ‘Cheesegrater’. As a City of London Guide I can tell you that its formal name is the Leadenhall Building, it was designed by the late Richard Rogers, stands just over half a mile east of St Paul’s cathedral and is 737′ (or 225 m) tall.
Another fact: On September 10th I’ll be leaping off the side of it.
THE CHARITY
Tommy’s works to reduce the UK’s rates of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. It funds pioneering medical research to discover the causes of baby loss and help women and pregnant people at every stage of their pregnancy journeys with expert information and care. Tommy’s wants to make pregnancy safer for all and ensure that excellent maternity care is available for every family, every baby, everywhere.
THE CHALLENGE
What does the Challenge involve?
Some participants will be whizzing down a zip wire to 30 St Mary Axe aka the Gherkin.
I, however, am one of several hundred abseiling 660′ (that’s 200m) down the side of the Cheesegrater having first climbed up 42 flights of stairs (1092 steps) before beginning their descent.
THE OUTCOME
Tower Run (Tower Walk in my case) completed in 34:05 – about 32 steps per minute. This put me a modest 653rd out of 660. At 67 I was the second oldest participant, runner up (pun intended) to an evidently spritely 69 year old.
For the abseil, quite daunting having to step backwards down on to a scaffold bar a couple of feet beneath the launch platform, then lean back and descend into the void. Amazing views though!
Look at the pictures – and it’s not too late to donate
Over £1,500 raised – a big thank you to all who contributed.
