Barclays workers, including managing director Tim Parkes, have been on peak form this week, on a ‘virtual’ climb of Mount Everest to raise money for The Isle of Man Children’s Centre Building Blocks appeal, the bank’s chosen charity for 2007.
The climb forms part of Barclays’ Wellbeing Week, aimed at improving body, mind, fitness and general wellbeing as well as raising money for charity.

The Everest Challenge was to reach 8850 metres on a step machine, provided by Carrefour, set up in the Victoria Street banking hall for two days. Volunteers each took a 15-minute slot to boost the metres to the summit, with Tim Parkes’ session adding a further 210 metres, bringing to the total mid-morning on Tuesday 6 February to 7,500 metres.
By the end of the challenge at 2pm Tuesday February 06 the total distance climbed by staff was 9245.7 metres.
The step machine registers the number of ‘floors’ climbed which converts into metres. The three Barclays workers who ‘climbed’ the most floors were:
Andrew Grose - 157 floors = 471 metres
Claire Butler - 143 floors = 429 metres
Stuart Thornhill - 133 floors = 399 metres
Barclays worker Emma Norris was the person to reach the virtual peak. She spent one hour in total on the stepper in split shifts climbing 1081.5 metres in total. Emma will be competing in the London Marathon on April 22nd 2007 for Hospice.
Money raised by staff and customers will be matched pound for pound by Barclays.