The Expedition
Nikwax^® Directional Fabrics is proud to sponsor the expedition to Pheriche in Nepal to place a memorial in rememberance of those who have lost their lives on Everest since 1921. Entitled the Broken Whole, the memorial has been designed and built by Oliver Barratt and commisioned by the Everest Memorial Trust.

The Project
Oliver Barratt's sculpture will be in permanent situ on Mt Everest. It will commemorate the 174 climbers who have died on their ascents of Everest. The work will be constructed in the UK but, sited at 15,000 feet in the Himalayas, two days walk from Everest base camp. Oliver Barratt will head the team to transport and construct the sculpture between 27th March- 16th April 2003. 2003 also marks the 50th Anniversary of the first successful ascent of Everest made by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay as part of the British team led by John Hunt.

The Destination
The memorial is to be erected in the grounds of the newly renovated hospital at Pheriche. At 14,600 feet (approximately 4,600 metres) the hospital is one of only two aid posts owned and run by the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) of Nepal. Pheriche is situated at a critical location just two days from Mt Everest's Base Camp and on a popular trekking route where illness at altitude begins to bite.

The Team
Oliver Barratt - sculptor and expedition leader; Dr Sandy Scott - co-founder of the Everest Memorial Trust, expedition member of Rebecca Stephens' team when she became the first woman to climb Everest; Rachel Campbell-Johnston, Chief Art Critic of The Times; David Mansell , Photographer for The Guardian. The team will be providing updates as they take the sculpture on its journey to Pheriche.

The Sponsors
In addition to supporting this extraordinary expedition, Nikwax Directional Fabrics Systems^® will be testing their products under the extreme conditions that will be experienced by the team. These unique Directional fabrics utilised within the Páramo^® garments used by the team, direct moisture away from the skin to help maintain a constant temperature, whilst outer layers prevents rain or snow getting through. Comfort and flexibility will be crucial to the morale of the enthusiastic expedition team.

Managing Director of Nikwax Directional Fabrics Systems^®, Nick Brown, feels this could be the ultimate test for Páramo^® Directional Clothing Systems. "We are convinced the fabric systems used in Páramo^® garments will be up to the job and look forward to the feedback from Oliver and his team."

"At Nikwax^® and Páramo^® we push the boundaries of technical development, which in turn helps individuals to go beyond their personal boundaries. The motivation behind sponsoring the Everest Extreme Art Expedition echoes these sentiments. Oliver is going out of his comfort zone and has made a huge personal commitment to this exciting project.

He will make his mark while supporting the Everest Memorial Trust, putting something back into a community whose land is enjoyed internationally. I admire the ethos behind this artistic statement and it is one of the most interesting activities happening on Everest this year". To discover more about the Directional Fabrics being tested click on each link below