Last updated at 11:21, Friday, 13 March 2009

A trekking company at the foot of the Lake District hills is through to the final three for a worldwide tourism award.

Community Action Treks is based in Keswick but was set up to help the underpaid trekkers of the Himalayas.

Now, the company has been listed in the final three of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards by the World Travel and Tourism Council, which is linked to the United Nations.

Martin West, a director at Community Action Treks, said: “It’s been an amazing few months, first with the Virgin Tourism Responsible Tourism Award and now the Tourism for Tomorrow short listing.

“Both of these recognise not only Doug’s [mountaineer Doug Scott] tremendous effort in setting up CAT, but also the hard work and dedication of our team here in Keswick and in Kathmandu and on the trail in the Himalayas.”

The company was set up by Mr Scott after he made the first ascent of Everest’s South West face, and discovered the Nepalese trekking agency he hired weren’t paying their porters.

CAT works as a co-operative, with its Cumbrian office on Sunset Hill in Keswick marketing treks and in Kathmandu looking after the trekking side.

Since 1994, the company has established more than 45 grass roots projects, including piping clean water to villages, schools, health posts and health camps and establishing Nepal’s first school for the deaf.

First published at 05:32, Friday, 13 March 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk