On Sir Chris Bonington’s 80th birthday, his illustrious career will be celebrated by the wider outdoor community and by Berghaus, where he is non-executive chairman.

Very recently, Sir Chris lost his wife Wendy to motor neurone disease (MND) and will use his 80th as an opportunity to improve awareness of the condition, for which there is no cure and about which very little is known. He and his family are also raising funds online for three organisations, including the Motor Neurone Disease Association, which funds research into MND and provides support, along with Hospice at Home and Cumbria Crossroads, which both gave care and support to the family during Wendy’s illness.

Sir Chris Bonington started climbing in 1951, at the age of 16, and it has been his passion ever since.  During over 60 years of adventure, Bonington has undertaken and led 19 Himalayan expeditions, including four to Everest. He has made numerous first ascents around the world, while also continuing to indulge his love of hillwalking and rock climbing when back at home in the Lake District or exploring other parts of the UK and Ireland.

Sir Chris has also written 17 books and fronted numerous television programmes, and was a key participant in the ground-breaking live television broadcast of the first ascent of the Old Man of Hoy in 1966. Bonington received a knighthood in 1996 for services to mountaineering.

Off the mountains, Sir Chris is non-executive chairman of Berghaus, the UK’s leading outdoor brand. 2014 is the 30th anniversary of his association with the company and Berghaus has announced a series of initiatives to celebrate both that landmark and his 80th birthday.

• A sequence of videos will be released during this week on YouTube, reflecting on Bonington’s life and achievements, and hinting at some new adventures that are in the pipeline. 
• The Berghaus Facebook page will host Sir Chris Bonington themed galleries, competitions and other material, while @TheRealBerghaus on Twitter will encourage the public to share their #HappyBirthdayChris! messages.
• Finally, details will be revealed in the near future of a major climbing project that Bonington will undertake to mark his 80th birthday.

For more information about Sir Chris Bonington, visit his profile page on the Berghaus website.