Thank you for taking the time to visit my just
Giving page.

Recently Lawrence a close friend and colleague lost his life by suicide, his passing has left an unfillable hole in so many people’s lives’.

Lawrence and I worked together for many years and became a bit of a double act, he was known as the mischievous one (Ha Ha).

We shared fun times and not so fun times (but mainly fun times) and like the rest of the world we found the last two years exceptionally challenging. 

He was kind, sensitive, caring and one of those people who was loved by so many, his philosophy in life was, if he could help, he would and if he couldn’t he would find someone who could, but sadly we couldn’t help him through his last crisis.

I have decided to dedicate my up-and-coming challenge to his memory and raise funds for Bristol Suicide Prevention.

The Challenge

On the 28^thJuly 2022 myself, my daughter and two friends fly out to Tanzania to hike up Kilimanjaro the highest free-standing Mountain in the world, it stands at 5895 metres above sea level.

For context: if you add the height of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon together they come to 3408 metres.

Hiking up the Mountain is done over 6 challenging days, with day 2 and day 6 looking like being the most challenging.

Day 2: Is Hiking for up to 11 hours.

Day 6: Is summit day, which is up to 15 hours of hiking, which starts at midnight, with temperatures that could drop down to a possible minus 10 degrees. (Lawrence Hated the cold)

Hiking down should be easy as it only takes a day and a half.

Currently there is lots of training going on, and not only the bits you would naturally think of like walking, hill climbing and general fitness, but also how to go to the toilet on the mountain or in your tent at night, and what deodorant to use as we only have one small bowl of water per day for personal hygiene. (Sorry to much sharing).

The two things we can’t train for is the risk of the hike being scuppered by COVID and or altitude sickness. 

Two of the four have recently recovered from COVID, so is very much a fingers being crossed that the remaining two avoid catching it.
As for altitude sickness, that's fingers crossed all round. 

Why am I doing this hike? Well, you may think it was on my bucket list, but It wasn’t, it was on my friends bucket list, and for me it was a case of “fear of missing out”.

As many of you will know I like a challenge, but if I am honest as well as being excited this one scares me. 

Yes, Lawrence did know I was planning it and he thought I was bonkers, he wasn’t the first to say that and I am sure he won’t be the last.

The Charity

Suicide Prevention Bristol is a charity in Bristol which aims to prevent suicides in the local area.

They offer support to people who are having suicidal thoughts 24 hours a day via:  

• A free to call telephone listening service  
• A signposting service    
• Their instant messaging service via Facebook
  messenger   
• A 24-hour outreach service to help locate
  persons contemplating ending their life by suicide in local known hotspots. 

In addition to these services, they also run information and education programs.

https://nspa.org.uk/member/suicide-prevention-bristol/

In these difficult times any donation will be welcomed by the charity.

Thank you
to Lawrence's family for allowing me to share this photograph
and story with you, and to Sarah, Caro and Sarah for sharing this
adventure with me.