Actor/director Andy Serkis, his wife, actress Lorraine Ashbourne, and their sons Sonny and Louis, are in the midst of a gruelling 17 day trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. They invite you to sponsor them and support the Serkis Family Challenge and help Best Beginnings support more parents to give their children the best start in life.

The money raised will help ensure Best Beginnings charity can continue to address inequalities by delivering free help to all parents across the country through our quality-assured and award-winning NHS approved Baby Buddy App.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Andy Serkis launched the Serkis Family Challenge at a star-studded event.

What follows are exclusive updates from Andy Serkis and Lorraine Ashbourne from Nepal, keep checking in to see new updates as they make their way to Everest Basecamp:

Day 13 - still trekking back down!

Over 40 km of trekking in two days over the Cho La pass to get ourselves back to Lukla... with more oxygen with each step as we lose altitude. Then it’s back to Kathmandu ...and the flight home!

https://vimeo.com/331390731

Day 9 - we've made it

We've made it Every Base Camp 2019! 

We've still got the long journey back home - as we now start trekking down, lets make the amount we raise for Best Beginnings go up!

Day 8

Getting higher and higher ... if you haven’t managed to donate yet please do so, every little helps ... Thank you so much !

Day 7

First day over Five thousand metres... starts to do funny things to you!

Day 6

En route to Pheriche, with magnificent Ama Dablam on the right! We’re still five days away from Everest basecamp...

Day 5

WoW... our first glimpse of Everest!!! Keep coming back to this page for more updates and don't forget to donate and encourage your friends to do the same!

Day 4:

On an acclimatizing walk today, the clouds cleared to reveal this teaser peak as we climb up to the sub alpine level - we're just beginning to become aware of breathing becoming more challenging.

Day 3:

In the Sagarmatha national park, heading towards Sagarmatha itself...the original Nepali name for the mountail we call Everest. Meet our guide in this film below:

Day 2:

Thanks to everyone for the donations so far! Please keep them coming via the donate button on this page! 

On the road from Phakding to Namche Bazaar you follow ancient Sherpa trails and the footsteps of pioneering Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay who first climbed Everest in 1953... you meet yak trains , cross suspension bridges encounter incredible Buddhist stupas and temples...

Then you hit Namche Bazaar- it’s the junction of Himalayan trading, trekker and climber central- you can buy anything here! well... pretty much. But from here on in it’s all about the altitude and getting used to it..!

   

Day 1:

Just landed in Nepal. Day 1 of the Serkis family challenge trekking to Everest base camp in aid of awesome charity BEST BEGINNINGS! Much more to come...please donate to support Best Beginnings!

---

"Becoming parents is one of life's biggest challenges - it's a journey like no other, terrifying at times but unimaginably rewarding. Lorraine and I know how important the early years of a child’s development are, and so we have decided to undertake this extraordinary family adventure to raise money for Best Beginnings, so they can support more families in need, across the country, through that crucial time.”

said Andy Serkis, actor and director, at the red carpet event announcing The Serkis Family Challenge

Baby Buddy app supports parents and soon-to-be parents through pregnancy and until their baby is six months old. Best Beginnings created it to engage, educate and empower families of all backgrounds to maximise their children's life chances and giving their babies the best start.

By sponsoring The Serkis Family Challenge you'll help Best Beginnigs to ensure MORE parents across the UK benefit from our free, fun, evidence-based support. A donation of £16 could help to support a family with the free and fabulous Baby Buddy app - for a year!

If you are able to donate £160 you'll be could support 10 families for a year! We understand that not everyone is able to donate so much - please sponsor them as much as you can - Andy and Lorraine and all of us at Best Beginnings want you to know that no donation is too small. 

Together we can make a difference for future generations.

Visit here again soon to see the latest updates from The Serkis Family Challenge and please do share it with your friends and family 💙

Andy Serkis