A few of the participants taking on the challenge. From left: Stephen Geddes, Daniel Ward, Mark Egan and Mark Mulready.

Bidding to set world record on Mount Everest

THIS April a group led by a Mayo man will take on Mount Everest Base Camp in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the highest altitude fitness class ever held.

Stephen Geddes, the owner of The Gym Ballina, who set up the trip and challenge, and a number of gym members are in training for the past number of months for the challenge.

That training has seen them taking on Croagh Patrick and a number of other mountains, including Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrantouhill.

They will be joined by other group members from all around Ireland in trekking 5,350m alt. to Everest Base Camp – a journey that will take 12 days.

Funds raised will go towards the Ballina Search and Rescue and Ballina Men’s Shed, as well as other charities, locally and nationally.

You can follow the Mayo group's training on The Gym Ballina Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thegym.ballina/.

For more info, or to donate, see the GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/2chqza-everest-base-camp.