In this reflective diary, Laura shares insights into the challenge and the conditions she faced.

Day 1: Welcome to the jungle

With a mixture of excitement and apprehension I arrived at the expedition. Our guide was a seasoned veteran whose insight would prove invaluable in the coming days.

Setting off, reality quickly set in. The going was tougher than anticipated, and a taste of things to come. The trek was assessed as ‘orange’+ 2 rating(‘red’, the only higher rating, being Mount Everest Base Camp). My training preparation immediately paid dividends.

Days 2-4: The unforgiving path

I won’t sugar-coat it – the trek was savage. Rising at 5am, we’d be fed and on the move by 6am. We typically trekked for six hours before stopping for lunch. This alone felt like an entire day. We then trekked for a further five hours in the afternoon arriving at camp for around 6pm, then went straight into a natural stream to cool off before dinner, having achieved over 35K steps and burnt over 5k calories!

The relentless heat and saturating humidity pushed our physical and mental limits. But we drew strength from one another, over the rugged terrain and slippery river crossings.

The biggest challenge was the relentless 40+ degree heat and 80% humidity. Dehydration was a constant risk, requiring over a gallon of water a day and plenty of electrolytes. But the aching beauty of the jungle, and the overwhelming sense of freedom it gave made it all worthwhile. Even if we had to share it with scorpions, giant spiders, snakes, leeches, ticks and fleas.

An indigenous shaman we met explained their way of life and deep connection to the land. It was inspiring and a total contrast to the complexities of our modern lives at home. His mantra? Stay positive, as positivity breeds.

Day 5: Lessons learned. Memories created.

I am so proud of our group’s resilience. With ages spanning 37 to 73, each completed the challenge, showcasing the power of teamwork and determination, and creating life-long bonds along the way.

Returning home, I reflected on a renewed appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. Cooling off in a stream, or seeing children learning in a remote school reminded me of the importance of gratitude.

Since returning our group has donated £500 towards building a new school closer to the children we witnessed who trek 2-3 hours a day to learn.

The trek is expected to raise in excess of £20,000 so a huge thank you to everyone who has donated and supported the charity. They will use the funds towards a new centre for Jersey Autism.

The journey was tough but transformative, and the experience will remain with me forever. My biggest lesson? Your potential is limitless. You can always work harder and push further. I also realised some things which seemed important to me really weren’t. I will treasure the overwhelming sense of freedom from being off-grid.

I’m looking forward to future adventures (yes, I’m not done yet!) and grateful to have been part of this incredible experience while raising funds for Autism Jersey.

If you would like to support the charity you can donate here: Laura Parkes (Nee Hardwick) is fundraising for Autism Jersey (justgiving.com)

So, what is it all about? In this Q&A Rebecca discusses this unique challenge.

What is White Collar Cabaret?

It is a challenge involving aerial which is a type of acrobatics suspended in the air, involving strength, flexibility, and agility. Ten novice ladies have to work really hard for 15 weeks, enduring callouses, bruises and more to put together an aerial performance on the  14 April 2024 at The Jersey Arts Centre. The four-minute performance will be suspended from either the hoop or the silk sling (a special type of fabric).

Who is running the challenge?

We are being trained by Hayley Wray (our patient coach) from Aerial Antics, a local company offering aerial classes from beginner through to advanced.  Hayley is working amazingly hard to get us performance ready – we couldn’t have done it without her. Hayley used to be an aerialist in a New York circus, she is also a firefighter, personal trainer, entrepreneur and has recently appeared on ITV’s Ninja Warrior!

 How are you raising money?

We are raising money for two very worthy charities, Healing Waves Ocean Therapy and Mind Jersey. Healing Waves enables individuals despite their condition and/or disability both neurological and physical to access the ocean in a safe way to participate in water sport activities. Each of us have been tasked with raising sponsorship and a percentage of the ticket sales will also be going to the charities.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to Crestbridge Family Office Services for making a donation to the charities.

How am I feeling about the challenge?

Very nervous and scared that I might fall off in front of everyone! However, that is the nature of aerial and I really wanted to push myself with physical challenge this year. It’s been much tougher than I expected (and I’m still waiting for my six pack to appear!). I have lots of bruises, but I know the sense of achievement will be worth it. My two daughters, Mia (5) and Eva (2), are coming along to watch me and I can’t wait to see their little faces – I hope it will inspire them that with hard work and consistent effort anything is possible…

If you would like to support the charities you can donate here: White Collar Cabaret – Act 2 – JustGiving

And you can buy tickets here:  White Collar Cabaret – Act 2! – Jersey Arts Centre

At the awards ceremony, which was held in London last week, Crestbridge Family Office Services’ CEO Heather Tibbo was named ‘Best CEO’ in recognition of her outstanding leadership in what has been a pivotal year for the firm.

With over 25 years of experience in supporting the needs of UHNW individuals and families, Heather was instrumental in establishing Crestbridge Family Office Services ten years ago and took on the role of CEO of the business last year as it continued to operate as a privately owned, independent firm following the sale of the Crestbridge institutional business.

As well as continuing to provide a comprehensive range of cross-border services to families and private clients, Heather is also responsible for driving forward it’s growth strategy and leading the evolution of the business, including moving to new headquarters in Jersey at the end of last year.

In addition, Crestbridge Family Office Services was also recognised at the Awards for its recent tenth anniversary celebrations, winning the ‘Best Marketing or PR Campaign’ category led by Lesley Piner, Head of BD and Marketing.  Entitled REFLECT10NS, the campaign showcased the success and growth the firm has seen since being established in 2013, while also focussing on its future aspirations and its commitment to offering first-class client service.

Winners of the Awards, now in their eleventh year, are selected by a panel of expert industry judges, and are designed to celebrate excellence in private wealth management products and services and professional excellence across Europe.

Commenting on the double award win, Heather said:

“It is a great source of pride to be recognised by Wealthbriefing through these two awards, which affirm the reputation Crestbridge Family Office Services has built up over the past decade for service excellence, expertise and attentive client relationships. They also reflect our forward-thinking team approach. While we have achieved great things over the past ten years, our absolute focus now is on the future and the next exciting stage of our journey together, as a privately-owned, independent business.”

Bethany Scott has passed the Chartered Governance Institute’s (CGI) International Qualifying Programme ‘Risk Management’ paper, while Marta Latek and Georgiana Lombada have both passed the Level 4 exam module of the CGI International Finance Administration professional qualification.

In addition, Joel Lucas-Villar has also completed the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Diploma in International Trust Management, becoming a full STEP member as a result.

Bethany, Assistant Manager, has significant experience in both corporate and trust administration, while Marta and Georgiana, both Administrators, support the wider FOS team with a broad range of administrative services. Joel, Senior Administrator, is responsible for the day-to-day administration of a variety of client groups with a particular focus on investments.

Commenting on the team’s success, Paul Hunter, Managing Director, Crestbridge FOS, said:

“Crestbridge Family Office Services has long held a firm commitment to supporting our people with their professional development aspirations, to ensure we are able, as a team, to provide clients with first-class expertise, technical knowledge and cutting-edge insights. I’m delighted for Joel, Bethany, Marta and Georgina. Their latest success in key qualifications through the CGI and STEP is the result of hard work and determination, and reflects perfectly our shared approach to skills development.”

CEO Heather Tibbo as well as Directors Daniel Channing and Laura Parkes have all been included in the latest Private Client Global Elite directory, published this week by international legal publishing group Law.com.

Launched in 2017, the directory is collated through peer recommendation and serves as a highly respected point of reference for the world’s top private client and trust​ and estates litigation talent, as well as rising stars within the industry.

Commenting on the recognition, Heather said:

“This year marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of Crestbridge Family Office Services as an independent and privately owned business. What is not changing however, is the shared dedication and commitment we have as a team to providing clients with first-class service, and that is reflected in our strong representation in this year’s directory of elite private client practitioners.”

Discover Laura’s motivation, the preparation involved and learn how you can get involved and support her fundraising efforts.

Tell us about the challenge you’re undertaking for Autism Jersey?

Having completed an Autism Jersey trek in 2017, to the summit of Mount Toubkal in the High Atlas Mountains, it is time for a new challenge. I will be joining a group of fellow #awesomeforautism trekkers over tough terrain, within an unforgiving climate, for five full days to and from the remote Lost City in Colombia to raise money for this fantastic charity.

To reach the 1200 ancient stone steps that lead up to the City, we will trek on steep, sometimes overgrown, and muddy trails, through lush jungle and river valleys, crossing clear streams. En route we pass indigenous Kogui communities and descendants of those early builders.

Why is the charity so special to you?

Autism Jersey holds a place in my heart, and I am a passionate supporter of their work. Their community spirit and drive to help support people on the autism spectrum and their families on a day-to-day basis is something truly special. Established in 2005 by a group of dedicated and committed parents, Autism Jersey is now the leading charity in Jersey having secure and well-developed expertise in the provision of autism-related services. They enable people on the autism spectrum to achieve their potential by advocating an inclusive community and providing personalised services to individuals, families, and carers.

How do you prepare for such a demanding trek?

Suffering arthritis in both knees, I don’t find these adventures or training for them easy they test me both physically and mentally. With the support of my friends and family, who join me on training treks and motivate me to keep going, I’m growing stronger each day. Since September I’ve clocked up 446km, 683k steps and 27 gym strength sessions. With only two months left I’ve increased the weekly training to include two back-to-back weekend walks consisting of at least 2-5 hours each day, a 800-1,000 step up session every Friday morning and an all-important stretch day to keep mobility.

How can others support you with this endeavour?

People’s support means everything to me, and to the incredible volunteers at Autism Jersey who are making a difference every single day. Whether it’s sharing my journey, contributing to fundraising efforts or simply spreading awareness about Autism Jersey, it all counts, and is enormously appreciated.

I would also like to thank Crestbridge Family Office Services for their donation and support.

You can donate at Fundraising for Autism Jersey. I’m funding my own trek myself, so every penny goes straight to the charity.

We wish Laura all the very best with this challenge and we will be following her journey along the way.

This marks Heather’s sixth consecutive year of inclusion in the prestigious list, which is compiled by the specialist private wealth publisher. Selection is determined by a number of criteria, from achievement and contribution, to those helping to shape the industry’s future.

In 2023 Heather took on the role of CEO at Crestbridge Family Office Services to continue to shape the firm’s next chapter as a privately-owned, independent business.

Heather commented: “ I would like to thank eprivateclient for my inclusion in this list which is, above all else, a reflection of the dedication and commitment of our team.

As we begin 2024 from our new offices in the heart of St Helier, we look forward to working alongside our clients and partners, exploring new and exciting opportunities together.”

In the Client Accounting team, Elliott Carlow is promoted to Senior Manager, and within the Administration function Gavin Byrne has been promoted to Manager and Charlie Lucas and Marta Latek have also been recognised.

Effective from 1 January 2024, these promotions recognise the achievements and contribution of these team members to the business. We wish them the best of success in their new roles.

Heather Tibbo, Chief Executive, Crestbridge Family Office Services, congratulated those being promoted:

“Investing in and supporting the development of our people is central to our future success and growth, particularly as we continue our journey as an independent and privately owned business. I’m delighted to be able to recognise the effort and accomplishment of these four valued members of our team. I am immensely proud of the talent, enthusiasm, and ambition we have within the business, exemplified by Elliott, Gavin, Charlie, and Marta.”

Held in Jersey this week (7th December), the Awards celebrate excellence, knowledge and best practice across the private wealth sector in Jersey and Guernsey. Winners are selected by an independent panel of judges.

In particular, the Award recognises the firm’s creative use of communications to mark its milestone anniversary. Entitled REFLECT10NS, the campaign recognised the success and growth the firm has seen since it was established in 2013, while also focusing on its future journey and aspirations.

It aimed both to engender a sense of pride internally amongst the team, while also communicating to external stakeholders the importance it attaches to listening to clients to help improve future performance and first-class client service.