Mr Holland took on the 14-day K2 Base Camp Trek alongside his son Daniel last month. The pair covered more than 220km through Northern Pakistan’s Baltoro Glacier and Karakoram mountains, battling severe rain, flooding, rockfalls and altitude sickness on their way to the foot of the world’s second-highest peak.

The trek took the father and son deep into one of the most remote regions on earth. “We were walking for up to 10 hours a day, with no Wi-Fi or phone signal, which is the most cut off I’ve been since starting to work”, Mr Holland said. “Even the most experienced trekkers in our group admitted it was more intense than expected. There were moments of real danger, including rockfalls that forced us out of our tents in the middle of the night.”

Despite the physical and mental challenges, he said what kept them moving forward were the causes they were supporting, and the memory of the late rugby legend, Doddie Weir, who died in 2022 after living with motor neuron disease for almost six years.

Mr Holland said: “I only knew Doddie briefly – we became commuting pals on the late-night Borders Railway train at the start of his illness. Even in those short journeys from the capital back to the Borders, his resilience and positivity shone through. Placing a small memento for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation at the base of K2 felt like a fitting tribute. I think he would have loved seeing people push themselves to achieve something difficult in support of others. And he’d have loved the banter!”

Mr Holland placed the memento alongside other tributes at the Gilkey Memorial, a poignant site that honours those who have lost their lives attempting to climb K2. “It was a moving reminder of both the risks of the mountain and the importance of leaving something behind that matters”, Robert said.

Daniel, 23, who is currently studying law at the University of Cambridge, said: “I learned that your body can adapt to almost anything if you give it a chance. Doing something for a cause greater than yourself will always push you on those tough days. And above all, it’s teamwork that gets you across the line. Without our incredible local guides and porters, our group of eight nationalities would never have made it.”

The almost £4,000 raised will be split between My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Radio Forth 1’s Cash for Kids, which helps give disadvantaged children and young people across the UK the chance to thrive.

You can still support the two charities by donating via Robert’s GiveWheel page.