Dear Family and Friends,

If you are reading this, thank you for taking the time to learn a bit about our expedition to Kilimanjaro and the mighty charity that is our reason for being there.

In four weeks time myself and twenty three other climbers comprising of nineteen from Gama Aviation PLC and five friends including my father and brother, will be setting out to Tanzania to do battle with the highest free standing mountain in the world.

Four years ago, my Father and a different team endured temperatures as low as -25 degrees C, suffered the effects of altitude sickness and walked for up to 9 hours a day to successfully summit Kilimanjaro. Now, when I’ve spoken to friends about this expedition the stock response has been ‘Pfff, mate, if Chris Moyles and Ronan Keating can make it to the top I’m sure you’ll be fine.’

Having done some research around the topic of high altitude climbing, these ‘reassuring’ words have failed to resonate. Until you’re actually into the thin air, there is no way of knowing how your body will react! 

Aside from the view from the top (if I make it!) we are climbing for the mighty WaterAid charity and more specifically Kiomboi hospital in Tanzania. With only enough clean water for one hour each day any money you donate will be given directly to improving this unsustainable situation. This is a brilliant cause, whose beneficiaries will see the immediate effects of any money raised. I know it’s a time when a lot of donation requests are flooding in however, getting basic sanitation conditions to a hospital in this part of the world is vitally important.

Thank you in advance for any donations and please give generously.

My best wishes to all,

George

Some more about the cause and mission:

The hospital handles approximately 8,000 births a year together with other medical operations for the region. Because of the lack of water, heavily pregnant women have to collect dirty water from the unclean river to bring to the hospital to use for the birth of their own child. After they have given birth, they then have to walk back to the river to wash. That is the same river water that many of them will drink, cook with and wash their newborn babies in.

The pictures show the hospital, the appalling conditions in the operating theatre, and a heavily pregnant woman carrying her own water to use to give birth. Staff at the hospital do not have enough water to wash their hands between deliveries, or clean their tools with. Sheets cannot be washed properly, floors cannot be cleaned. All this dramatically increases the risk of sepsis, which is ripe in the area, an infection which for babies, can kill.  The mortality and infection rate is high. A video of the Deliver Life appeal in conjunction with WaterAid can be seen at:  https://youtu.be/oa9bPMCn4G8

By sponsoring the climb, you can help me and my fellow climbers to give this hospital a permanent, clean fresh water supply. In a dedicated project for Gama Aviation's climb, together with WaterAid, we will be providing loos, showers, baths, hand washing sinks, and hygiene education. We will provide the facilities such that midwives and doctors will be able to clean their hands, and their instruments and wash babies and the mothers in clean water. Women can wash, drink safe water, and give their babies the future that they must surely deserve.

As an added incentive, I am delighted that this project falls under the UK Governement's Deliver Life appeal. This means that  every £1 donated to WaterAid’s Deliver Life appeal between 10 November and 10 February will be doubled by the UK Government – meaning we can help twice as many mothers and babies stay safe and well.