Electrical Contracting News (ECN) February 2017 | Page 28

INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW

TESSA OGLE – ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES CHARITY

AIMING FOR THE TOP

On 3rd February , a brave group of trekkers will embark on their journey to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Electrical Industries Charity . Leading the team is the charity ’ s managing director , Tessa Ogle , who spoke to ECN ’ s Russell Drury during her preparations for this epic challenge .

Tessa Ogle is in esteemed company . We don ’ t do many personal profiles in ECN , a lot of industry Q & As perhaps , but it was about four years ago that I sat down with the greatest living explorer , Sir Ranulph Fiennes , to quiz him on his latest exploits . Now Tessa is about to lead her own brave group of adventurers to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro . Does she feel ready ?

‘ I did Everest in August so that was my big training exercise ,’ says Tessa . ‘ It was 14 days of solid trekking and I got to the 8,000m mark , which is really high . That ’ s probably the hardest thing I ’ ve done so far but I hear Kilimanjaro sometimes can be harder .’
The aim of the trek is to help the Electrical Industries Charity ( EIC ) raise £ 100,000 to support the Hendrie family and help rebuild their lives . Christopher Hendrie , aged 32 , was a well respected electrician , a loving husband and a father
Tessa approaches the last 5km before Everest base camp .
28 | February 2017