Eighteen years after scaling the highest peak in the world, Neil Elliott is celebrating 15 years in business by leading his team to climb Everest in Fermanagh to benefit local Fermanagh charities, Cancer Connect NI and Ellie’s Retreat.
Staff, contractors, suppliers, friends and family of team Future Renewables will be relay running Topped Mountain to cover the distance to the top of the world. With a business rooted in sustainability, the team are seeking donations to cover the cost of installing a solar PV system to significantly reduce the running costs of the retreat accommodation of Ellie’s Retreat at Castle Archdale and a contribution to the purchase of a new Dragonboat for Cancer Connect NI in Enniskillen.
Neil Elliott, owner of Future Renewables in Ballinamallard, said, “Renewable energy is a difficult sector to stay in business and it’s been quite a journey over the past 15 years. From turning a passion project into a business and trading through the highs and lows, it’s worth a celebration to acknowledge the effort over the years and relive the moment of climbing to the roof of the world. With family and friends affected by cancer and the inspirational work of Ellie’s Retreat, we wanted to help local charities. No better way than giving them the opportunity to be more sustainable through operational savings from solar PV for years and years to come or equipping them with the means to add to their fundraising efforts in the future. We’d also like to say thank you for the support our business has had from Fermanagh folk across the years.
Ciara Nicholl of Ellie’s Retreat said, “Getting a solar PV system to significantly reduce our running costs will make a huge difference to our charity and the facilities we can offer our families. It’s not something that we would have thought about, but it is also very fitting to be able to operate more sustainably at beautiful Castle Archdale.”
Phil McGrenaghan from Cancer Connect NI said, “Our charity is always looking for ways to sustain our services for the people of Fermanagh, so being able to create a recurring income through Dragonboat corporate and community events will help secure these into the future. It’s an exciting new opportunity for us.”
Neil and the Future Renewables team will be joined in their bid to climb Everest for a second time with the help of Fermanagh natives, Raymond Hassard and Fergal Corrigan, who joined Neil on the original expedition to Mount Everest in 2006. The event is on 24 August 2024.
Future Renewables are accepting donations on their fundraising page: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/4591/climbing-everest-in-fermanagh/
The funds raised will go towards supplying Ellie’s Retreat with a full solar PV system and battery storage and contributing to a Dragonboat for Cancer Connect NI.
