It’s tough getting to the top – of a mountain

A REPORT of high merit has been received by the Company on a 19-year-old member of the staff, John Steppings, who took a month’s course at the famous Outward Bound Mountain School at Ullswater earlier this year.

John works as a clerk in the Property Department of Supply Manager, Leslie Harrison, at Elstree. He has been with the Company for three years, starting in the Mailing Department and then working for Accounts.

The month’s course was during some of the worst weather this year and for anyone to pass it with merit demanded a high standard of fitness, tenacity and strength of character.

GROUP LEADER

John was made a group-leader during the course in which 80 chosen youngsters took part.

Something of what was ahead of him became apparent for John when he arrived and was issued with an ice-axe! It came in very useful during the month as he had to climb to the top of Helvelin [sic: Helvellyn – Ed], the second highest mountain in England, which at the time was covered in snow.

John’s only previous experience of rock-climbing was on such minor rocks as can be found at Tunbridge Wells.

FIRST WEEK

The first week at the school was spent learning to climb, how to tie the right knots, first aid and map-reading. On the second week the young men went out with instructors, each carrying their own 40 lb [18kg] packs.

Weariness and blistered feet vied with their sense of achievement at the end of the days. During the third week each youngster went out on his own for 24 hours, with the summit of Helvelin as the target.

The fourth week saw John in charge of a group with 70 miles and two ranges of mountains to cover in three days.

“There was no molly-coddling.” says John. “The days began at 6.30 with a cold shower or a jump into the lake. But it was a wonderful experience. Every young man should go on a course like this. It really is worthwhile.”

John, whose home is at Edmonton is no “toughie” to look at. He scales about 9st [57kg] and is 5ft 5ins. [1.56m] in height. “It was the big tough looking ones who seemed to fall out first.” he recalls.

WISELY

He wisely went into training before the course, doing a spot of weight lifting and “walking 15 miles or so to get my boots easy”.

John’s hobby has nothing to do with physical training. He is a motor-cycle fan. Not a “ton-up” boy but a member of a club at Wood Green. He has won rally cups and shields, and he also won a medal as a boy footballer.