A FORMER soldier from Gobowen will mark the 60th anniversary of joining the Scout movement with a mountain climb and raising funds for a disabled children's home in Nepal.

Roy Francis joined the Scouts in his home village 60 years ago and to commemorate, he is attempting to cover the Himalayan Baden Powell Peak (BPP) – re-named in 2007 for the founder of the movement Robert Baden Powell – in November.

Now retired, Roy's main work is around his charily Aide Nepal Magnaoac, helping to provide education and support for some of the poorest children in Nepal.

And as well as his anniversary, his three-week campaign on BPP, which is just short of 6,000m, is designed to raise funds to help save the Om Disabled Child Care Home where 19 boys and girls, aged from five to 17 years and with severe additional needs are cared for.

Roy believes the trip will help mark his 72nd birthday and is looking forward to the challenge.

"Having spent a day or so in Kathmandu preparing our equipment Tengi Sherpa and I will set off by road to Shyabrubesi, a small trading village near the Tibetan border," said Roy, who is a trained mountaineer who now lives in France.

"From there the trail heads east, up the Langtang Valley to Kyanjin Gompa (4,000m), a walk of about four days.

"We will spend two days in and around Kyanjin acclimatising on the 5,000m hills surrounding the village. Kyanjin was destroyed in the 2015 earthquakes but has now been rebuilt. The area is rich in wildlife and is one of the few places where is is possible to see Red Panda and Snow Leopards.

"When ready we will move up the BP Peak base camp at just over 5,000m. At that altitude the oxygen level is already down to about 50 per cent so it is important to take it steady and allow the body time to adjust.

"Having set up base camp we will reconnoitre the bottom part of the route and fix a rope or two is required. The route is not technical but does require care on exposed sections.

"Once the weather is settled we will make our summit bid. From base camp we should be able to reach the summit and just under 6,000m in six to seven hours, and return to base camp in two.

As is the norm with all Himalayan summit attempts, we will need to set off just after midnight! Ideally we we will reach the summit just after dawn for spectacular views across the Himalaya."

Roy says he is helping the home because of the support they give, and need in return.

He added: "These are children who were abandoned on the streets of Kathmandu as toddlers.

"The home receives little or no government funding and survives on donations from Lions Club members, mostly travel agents. As there has been no tourism in Nepal this year, due to the pandemic, they too are struggling."

Anyone wishing to donate to Roy's cause can do as at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/omorphanage