Millimetres 2 Mountains

The name Millimetres 2 Mountains encapsulates founder Ed Jacksons journey. After an operation to repair a fracture-dislocation of his c6/c7 vertebrae, he lay, quadriplegic, on his back in ICU with only limited movement in his right arm. Despite the bleak prognosis, through hard work, a great deal of support and sheer bloody-mindedness, his body started returning to him. A year later he had reached the summit of Snowdon, the first of many planned ascents to raise money for the great causes that helped him and many others when they most needed it. Over the next couple of years, his journey took him from Snowdonia through the Alps and on to the Himalayas. Despite his disability Ed has reached some impressive heights since his accident however in that time he came to realise that it wasn’t about the destination or any particular summit, it was about the connection he had developed with the outdoors, the people he was meeting along the way, and the emotional impact of achieving things that he had gone on to believe would never be possible again. “The challenges that I have faced in the mountains have had a profound impact on my recovery both physically and mentally. However, I have also witnessed the effect that these trips have had on others. People arrive tentative, often not knowing each other or what to expect, they then leave only a matter of days later rejuvenated and inspired. It occurred to me that if these trips can have this effect on people who are in a good place then what sort of impact could they have on people who really need it. I came to realise that although we were raising important money to support people in need back home the real power would be to get those very people to the mountains to experience the life-changing benefits themselves.” The Millimetres to Mountains Foundation was born and Ed together with wife Lois and friend and co-founder Olly Barkley set out on to help those who really need it whilst changing a few perceptions along the way.