British Female Everest Summiteers launch 50thanniversary celebrations on International Women's Day
A team of female British Everest summiteers, accompanied by authors, academics and filmmakers, are kicking off the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the first woman to summit Everest, Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei, on International Women's Day on 8th March.
The team comprises of Rebecca Stephens MBE, the first British woman to summit; Tori James, the first Welsh woman to summit; Jo Bradshaw, fellow Everest summiteer; Holly Bridge, the first woman to skydive Everest; Rosemary Brown, historic author; Jenny Hall, academic and author and Dina Mufti, film and documentary maker, who are co-ordinating a year of celebrations and events.
Rebecca and Jo are beginning with a talk at the Royal Geographical Society for the Mount Everest Foundation on ‘Women at Altitude' featuring Junko Tabei on 10th March.
The celebrations are in recognition of Junko's pioneering achievements in 1975, when the cultural and social norms at the time placed limitations on women, where men had greater freedom to fulfil their (mountaineering) ambitions. Junko opened the door for women to take on adventures and expand their opportunities and was a key instigator in accelerating change.
Tori James will be launching her First Females podcast on the anniversary of Junko's historic summit, 16th May. This will be a special series of 10 podcasts featuring conversations with women from around the world who were the first women from their country to reach the summit of Everest, whilst on My 28th at Hay Festival, Tori will be hosting a panel discussion with Rebecca, Jo and academic and author Jenny Hall. Rebecca, Tori and Jo will be leading a walk at the festival during the day.
In April, Jo will be leading 12 women, with Tori joining the team, to climb 5,550m mountain Yala Peak in the Langtang Valley of Nepal, walking in Junko's footsteps who also climbed the mountain two years after her Everest success. As much as it is a celebration, there will also be a commemoration as, 10 years ago on April 25th 2015, Jo Bradshaw was at Camp1 on Everest during the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which killed 19 people at base camp and 9,000 across Nepal. A resulting landslide in Langtang village engulfed every teahouse bar one, killing nearly 300 villagers, tourist staff and trekkers.
In the spirit of Junko's legacy and to coincide with her anniversary weekend of 16th My, the mountaineers are encouraging businesses and individuals, to take the first steps to achieving their own Everest and join the conversation #MyJunkoJourney and #MyFirstSteps. Whether it is saying yes to a new adventure, climbing a hill with friends or colleagues, spending their first night under canvas, or simply pushing their usual boundaries to embrace the outdoors.
Said Jo Bradshaw, "Every journey begins with a first step, and we encourage everyone to take their first steps in the name of Junko Tabei. You never know where it will lead you."
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Note to Editors: Rebecca, Tori and Jo are available to interview.
Further information:
Caroline Bramwell
The Olden Group PR & Marketing
T. 07976 562068 / 01271 375393
E. caroline@theoldengroup.com