Raised: 109%
Target: £2,500.00
Raised so far: £2,720.00
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My story

 

UPDATE 04/11/09:

WE DID IT !!!!!!!

Just want to say a very, very big thank you to everyone who has sponsored me for the climb. All of our team of 10 made it to the final camp at Kibo huts (15500ft amsl). On the 6hr night hike to the summit, one of the team dropped out at 16500ft, while everyone else made it to Gilman's Point (18500ft) at the edge of the crater (and as such were officially deemed to have climbed the mountain). 5 of us (including me) went on to Uhuru Peak (19340ft), the true summit and the highest point in Africa, which was another 1½ hours trek through wind and snow!!
After this we had to walk 1½ hrs back to Gilman's, then 4 hours down the crater, followed by 1hr rest and then a 14km hike (in pouring rain) back to one of the lower camps at Horombo. One of the toughest days I've ever had!!! Oh, and the next day it was a 20km hike back to the reception centre at the bottom, where we got our certificates :)

Thankfully I didn't get severe altitude sickness, just got mild headache, shortness of breath, increased pulse rate, and (eventually) slight nausea. Others had slightly more severe nausea/vomiting, hyperventilation, and one guy temporarily lost feeling in his toe :(. But everyone got down safely and no one had to be helped or stretchered down!!!
 
After the climb we went to the childrens' hospice in Nyeri and helped unload the 3 containers, distributing aid as required.
 
So many thanks again for your support, my sponsorship page will be available for a while yet.
 
Best regards,
Gavin.


 

*Update* 17/10/09:

We've managed to fill 3 containers, 2 x 40ft ones and one x 20ft one. All of these have now arrived in Nyeri and we weren't even charged any import taxes/duties!!!

We've been training hard for the Kili trip and we leave in a few days' time, on 21st October. I'm hoping to provide updates on my facebook page, although this will depend on getting a mobile phone signal on the mountain. I'm told we will, but can't be sure!! Here is the address of my facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1818654643&ref=profile

Thanks very, very much to all who have already sponsored me!! If you haven't yet there's still time!!!



I must be going mad in my 'old' age :-)

Somehow I've managed to get myself onto a team of a dozen people from my church who will be attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in October 2009. This effort is in aid of a childrens' hospice in Nyeri, Kenya, which was built by, and is run by, the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle Belfast.

Each month as many as 600 children aged between one month and 17 years, many of whom are disabled, are treated by trained doctors and nurses at the hospice. Their illnesses include HIV, tuberculosis, cerebral palsy, rickets, jiggers and cases of sexual abuse. Nyeri is located approximately 100 miles north of Nairobi and has a population of over 350000. Here is a link to the Kenya page on the church website: http://www.whitewell.com/outreach/kenya.php.

In addition to the climb, we will also be visiting the childrens' hospice during the trip and helping to distribute aid from 2 x 40ft containers which we hope to fill :-).

So this is a really worthy cause!

Don't forget to tick the gift aid box if you are a UK taxpayer!

Please note that I will be paying *all* of my own travel expenses for the trip and *all* of the money donated will go directly to the childrens' hospice.

Finally, although the climb will undoubtedly be a big effort, please (please!) don't feel that any donation is too small. I would be *really* grateful for *any* donations no matter how small!

Thanks for reading this & thanks in advance for your help!!!

My website: http://www.madgav.org/
Some pic from our training days: http://www.gmcc0266.plus.com/ka.htm

Final donation to cover the remaining offline donations. The page is now closed - THANK YOU to all who donated!!! Donation by Gavin McCormick 11/01/10  

Well done! Donation by Graeme Kerr 20/11/09  

Congratulations - well done Donation by Clare Hanna 05/11/09  

Good luck- wish I was up there with you rather than stuck in this office! Donation by David Wilson 27/10/09  

Well done on collecting so much. Best of luck with the expedition and I hope the altitude sickness doesn't get too bad! Donation by Turlough Donnelly 20/10/09  

Good luck Gavin! Hope you enjoy the experience. Donation by Helen Craig 20/10/09  

Good Luck Donation by David Brown 19/10/09  

Covering the offline donations :) Donation by Gavin McCormick 17/10/09  

Good luck - just take it easy ! Donation by Alan Younger 16/10/09  

Hope all goes well. Try to enjoy it Donation by Gary Nicholl 15/10/09  

Bonne chance! Je te dis merde! Donation by Pamela McCormick 15/10/09  

Best of Luck Donation by Andrew Boyes 15/10/09  

Dear Gavin, I think what you and Fiona are doing is amazing and wish you God's protection and guidance on your journey. All the best. Donation by Matthew Jones 06/10/09  

Good luck with a very worthwhile cause Donation by Colin Ellison 06/10/09  

Hope the adventure goes well - have fun Donation by Andrew Courtney 05/10/09  

Best of luck! Donation by Jennifer Blackwood 03/10/09  

I think it would be easier to fly. It looks like a very worthwhile cause. Well done you. Donation by Philip Stevenson 30/09/09  

Good luck! Donation by Mandy Kelly 30/09/09  

Good luck with this life changing experience. Donation by Iain 28/09/09  

Since you have been training so hard, here's a wee bit more from 'er indoors. Donation by Fiona 03/08/09  

as promised Donation by Tim Nixon 03/08/09  

have a great trip :-) x Donation by Rachel Murray 01/08/09  

God bless and be with you as you prepare and go to Kilimanjaro and Nyeri Donation by Tommy and Betty McCormick 21/07/09  

Donation by Anonymous 20/07/09  

Hope you have a great time away in Kenya, and good luck on achieving your target! Donation by Michael Edwards 14/07/09  

God Bless!! Donation by Paul McBride 06/07/09  

The Lord loves a cheerful giver... the man who can't give for laughing!!! God bless :) Donation by Sonya Walker 01/07/09  

Hope the total soon begins to climb. Donation by Ruth Colvin 11/06/09  

Just to kick off the online donations Donation by Fiona McCormick 04/06/09  

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* Total raised online: £1,720.00
  Offline donations: £1,000.00
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £452.13

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