Fundraiser stories: Gregory Perdon's Tower Ridge Challenge
Meet Gregory Perdon, the BMC member who chose the BMC Access & Conservation Trust for his annual mountaineering fundraising challenge and raised almost £7,200!
Back in 2021, BMC member Gregory Perdon, an Investment Manager by day (and mountaineer by weekend!) chose the BMC Access & Conservation Trust as his charity on JustGiving for his annual fundraiser - that year climbing Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis. He managed to raise a grand total of £7,193.81, making him one of our top fundraisers since the charity was established in 2001. Congratulations and thank you Gregory.
With our sponsored Wildfire Walk Sat 30 May now open for registration, how better to inspire our current fundraisers than to ask the man himself how he raised such a significant amount. Don't worry, we're not suggesting our walkers raise thousands - we've challenged each person to raise £200, with 10 prizes available for those who raise the most. So let's hear from Gregory to steal his top tips!
Fundraise for us anytime!
We welcome fundraising from anyone, anytime! If you're keen to help the BMC Access & Conservation Trust repair paths, conserve upland landscapes and habitats and restore the moorlands in our Mend Our Mountains and The Climate Project campaigns, here's everything you need to get started.
What is your day job?
For almost 12 years I served as co‑Chief Investment Officer at Arbuthnot Latham. Today I’m an Investment Manager at Raymond James Charles Stanley, where I manage pension portfolios, advise SME owners, and give thought‑leadership talks across the country.
Where are you based?
I grew up in New York, studied in Paris, and have lived in London for more than 20 years. I’m now proudly British.
How did you get into mountaineering?
My dad served in the Chasseurs Alpins, a French mountain‑warfare unit, and he also once crossed the Atlantic on a Chinese river boat. His sense of adventure shaped me. I started climbing in the Alps at a young age. My grandfather climbed Mont Blanc, then my dad, and I followed in 2006, raising £5,000 for charity and even receiving a mention in the Financial Times. My hope is to take any of my children up to 4,810m one day, ideally supporting charities they care about.
What do you love most about this passion of yours?
My “stone of life” is built around investor education, protecting places of natural beauty, and trying to be a positive role model. Civic duty isn’t fashionable these days, but I’m happy to be a contrarian on that front.
And why are you a member of the BMC?
I’ve been a member for years because I want to support organisations that help people of all ages access the outdoors, responsibly and safely.
How did you first hear about the BMC Access & Conservation Trust?
Through Summit magazine, of course, a must‑read four times a year.
What made you choose the BMC Access & Conservation Trust for your fundraising in 2021?
It’s a great cause with great people and clear, tangible objectives.
Which challenge did you do to raise money for us?
Chris Jackson [a Mountaineering Instructor] and I set out to attempt the Tower Ridge, Ben Nevis, Scotland.
How did you decide upon this challenge?
I’ll climb with Chris anywhere, he’s a tremendous athlete and a force of nature. If he suggests something, it’s not if, it’s when.
What were the highs of the trip?
The 'high' was making the right call. The weather turned treacherous and the conditions became dangerous, so we bailed. We kept our egos in check and our humour on ‘high’, that combination kept us safe.
You raised almost £7,200 for the charity. How does that make you feel?
It feels fantastic, but my real motivation is to inspire others to do the same. Generosity is contagious, people follow positive examples. I want to help normalise giving.
What’s your secret to raising such a significant amount in sponsorship? Your top three tips?
- Choose a real challenge. If I ask for sponsorship, it’s for something that requires genuine effort, training, planning, logistics, and intent.
- Say thank you individually. No matter the amount. It takes time, but people appreciate the personal recognition.
- Bring donors into the journey. Share photos, comments, updates, make them feel part of the adventure. Business owners across the UK care deeply about supporting British charities. Engagement matters.
How can the BMC Access & Conservation Trust encourage more people to take on sponsored challenges?
Give more space in Summit to profiling fundraisers. When people see others taking on meaningful challenges, it inspires them to step forward too.
You’ve said you want to raise over £1 million for charity in your lifetime. How did that ambition start, and where is your total now?
I’ve raised more than £140,000 so far from climbs like the Dent Blanche, Switzerland. The Weisshorn, also Switzerland, is high on my target list. My £1 million goal came from reflecting on legacy, how we can use our time, energy, connections and abilities to help others?
What motivates you to do this charity work?
It’s an honour, a privilege, and a responsibility. As we get older, the idea of legacy becomes more important. The sooner we embrace that, the better. And I’ll always encourage others to support great causes, because it’s one of the simplest ways to make the world a little better. As I always like to say, “Stronger Together!”.
More fundraiser stories
ACT articles
Meet Gregory Perdon, the BMC member who chose the BMC Access & Conservation Trust for his annual mountaineering fundraising challenge and raised almost £7,200!
Wildfire Walk
Sign up for our 25km sponsored Wildfire Walk from Hathersage, Sat 30 May, to help protect the Eastern Moors from wildfire. This is part of the BMC Big Walking Weekend and supports our Wildfire Appeal which aims to raise £50,000 to safeguard Curbar, Froggatt and Burbage Edges, areas deeply affected by recent fires.
BMC Big Hill Walking Weekend
Throughout the weekend we're running walks, talks, workshops and a chance to meet like-minded hikers, based in Edale, with additional satellite events like the Wildfire Walk from nearby Hathersage.
Protect the Eastern Moors
We have already raised £50,000 to fund a dedicated Wildfire Ranger to protect the Eastern Moors area from wildfire this season. Please now help the BMC Access & Conservation Trust raise a further £50,000 to support the team with equipment and restore the moorland for future generations.
£10 funds a roll of 20 sphagnum moss plugs
£25 fully restores 1m2 of moorland
£50 stabilises bare peat with cut heather
£100 funds ten educational social media posts
£200 builds a 2m dam to rewet an eroded gully
£2,000 hires one wildfire-prevention road sign
£10,000 buys a wildfire-detection drone
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