Famous mountaineer Alan Hinkes Joins Penrith Rotary

We are proud to announce that the World famous mountaineer Alan Hinkes OBE has joined us as an Honorary Member.

He was officially welcomed onboard on Monday 27th April  night at the club’s first full online meeting which included a quiz as well as the normal business, Alan was actually enrolled in the club on the 26th April which, coincidentally, was also his XX birthday.

A club spokesman said:-

"We’re absolutely delighted that Alan has agreed to join us at Penrith Rotary as an Honorary Member. He has already been supporting the club’s efforts, for a number of years, on social media. This came about after a chance meeting in Penrith when we were painting the town purple as part of Rotary’s End Polio Now Campaign. Since then he has helped enormously to raise our online profile, especially on Twitter. We hope that his relationship with the club will be long and fruitful.”  

About Alan Hinkes

Alan Hinkes is the first Briton to climb the world's highest mountains.  These are the 14 8000m peaks, all of which are in the 'death zone', where human survival rate is measured in hours.  They are the most dangerous mountains on the planet.  Alan is part of an exclusive club of only 12 people alive who have achieved this feat, which is the same number of people who have stood on the moon.  Many have perished attempting this challenge.

Alan began his mountaineering career whilst at Northallerton Grammar School, North Yorkshire.  He progressed to the Alps with ascents of many difficult mountains, including the notorious North Face of the Eiger, eventually graduating to the Himalaya.

He works as an outdoor equipment technical consultant, writes for magazines and lectures on his exploits.  He is an accomplished cameraman (filming 11 documentaries), photographer, author, motivational speaker, environmentalist and mountain guide. His book 8000 Metres Climbing the World's Highest Mountains won TGO Awards Outdoor Book of the Year

Alan was awarded the OBE in the 2006 New Year's Honours.  He is an Honorary Citizen of his home town, Northallerton; Yorkshireman of the Year; an Honorary Fellow of the University of Sunderland; Honorary Doctor of the University of York, Honorary Doctor of Professional Studies, University of Teesside and has received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Royal Institute of Navigation and the President’s Award for Outstanding Voluntary Contribution to Water Aid.  He is involved in charitable work including: Water Aid, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, British Red Cross and Mountain Rescue.

Alan lives in North Yorkshire and enjoys being in the hills, rock climbing and fellwalking.  You will regularly see him in the Lake District and Yorkshire tramping the fells and moors, clinging to a rock face or climbing a frozen waterfall.