Charity of the month: Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity

As Beer52 and Wine52’s Supply Chain Coordinator, Stephanie Parry moves 100,000s of gallons of beer and wine around the world every month, making sure pallets get picked up from suppliers on time, and safely packed into trains, planes, trucks and boats for transportation to the UK. She is, to put it frankly, a machine, but contrary to the connotations of mind-blowing efficiency, she is also a source of gentle joy, and generous encouragement around our office. 

Steph leads a yoga class for the Beer52 team on Tuesdays after work, just so we can all get together and unwind. After several years of practice, Steph decided to begin teacher training, just so she could share the sense of mental and physical wellness that yoga brings her with other people. This isn’t a side hustle for Steph - for her, making money isn’t what yoga’s about; she teached on a free and voluntary basis as a way of giving back. 

When she tells me she’s planning to hike the Base Camp of Everest to raise funds for Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity, I’m impressed, but not surprised. Steph did the Inca Trail five years ago, so knows she’s up to the task; “altitude is all about taking things slow and steady” says Steph. “In that way, walking becomes quite meditative, you also get to meet and talk with other people on the path, so sometimes you walk with them, and other times, you hike alone, there’s no signal, no internet, you just walk”. 

Steph and her husband Louis will be flying out to Kathmandu on April 28th 2023, and from there catching a regional plane to Lukla, a town that’s already 4,000ft above sea level. At that point they’ll begin a ten day trek up to Base Camp. Her plan is to enjoy the mammoth trek for the journey it is, taking in all the towns, temples and tea houses along the way, acclimatising to the altitude as needed, and deepening her appreciation and understanding of the history and culture that yoga comes from. 

Her ultimate goal, of course, is to raise funds for ECHC, a charity that supports sick children and their families around Edinburgh. If you have the means to support her expedition in any capacity, donations can be made through Steph's JustGiving page. 

To find out more about ECHC, visit echcharity.org