MEET THE TEAM – ANDY BAKER

At Charity Challenge we are extremely proud of the amazing crew we have. We know it can be a little daunting joining a challenge for the first time so we thought you might like to meet the team in advance of your Charity Challenge. Today we introduce you to our Head of UK Events – Andy Baker

Name

Andy Baker

How long have you been part of the Charity Challenge team?

Too long! 🙂 It will be 10 years at the end of this year. I have been promised a prize!

What’s your role at Charity Challenge?

Head of UK Events

Tell us a little bit about your background and what you did before joining Charity Challenge?

I worked over in Egypt setting up an EU funded trekking company with local Bedouin. It was great craic, and the Sinai mountains are still my favourite place to go trekking.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The winter months when I have no UK challenges taking place! But other than that, I love the sense of being part of such a great team of office staff and leaders. It’s a lovely environment to work in.

What advice would you give someone who is looking to do a Charity Challenge?

Blister management! Buy yourself a roll of K-Tape and learn how to tape up your feet to avoid blisters.

What’s been your favourite charity challenge (so far)?

I still have a real fondness for the MIND hikes that we used to organise. It was our first venture into doing bespoke itineraries, and some were more successful than others! I loved leading on our Greenland trek a few years ago. Being helicoptered into the wilderness to start the trek was very cool.

Do you have any challenges left on your bucket list?

A few more things in South America, maybe. I’m always pretty jealous when I appoint leaders to go to Patagonia. But there is no chance my wife would ever allow it so I’ll keep my ambitious more modest. I’d like to get our Isle of Skye Challenge running.

What three things can’t you live without?

Coffee. My copy of Sign O’the Times by Prince. My daughter. Probably in that order.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself…

I once spent an entire day being escorted around the Congolese town of Goma by an armed group of local people (one of whom was carrying a bazooka) as they helped me search for some Um-Bongo to drink. I had asked them whether it was true when the TV ad had said “Um-Bongo, Um-Bongo, they drink it in the Congo”. At the end of the day one of the men turned to me and very sadly said, “I don’t think it’s true!”