Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In early September I hope to fulfil my lifelong ambition and climb Mount Kilimanjaro in , the world’s largest free-standing mountain.  At 5,895m (19,340ft) above sea level it is the highest peak you can climb without the need for ropes, oxygen tanks, etc, it’s even higher than Everest base camp!

I've chosen the – the trek is a total of 60 miles.  First up steep paths through magnificent rainforest, before passing through moor-land, semi-desert and alpine desert.  Then the summit challenge starts - across ice fields, round the volcanic crater and on to the top with the final push taking 7 or 8 gruelling hours starting from midnight.  No rest for the wicked here, the descent starts straight away, making it around 20 hours walking out of 24.   I’ll experience temperatures of 35degC in the shady rainforest, down to around -20degC at the top. 

I’m looking forward to seeing the sun rise from the “Roof of Africa” but with risks like acute altitude sickness and hypothermia, there are no guarantees.   Overall, conquering Kilimanjaro has only a 60% success rate amongst trekkers.

I would like to raise some money for charity to help spur me on through the tougher moments and have chosen St. Clare Hospice which as many of you will know, provides care for hundreds of local people suffering from terminal illnesses, ensuring their comfort and maintaining their dignity.   Please follow the link to view further information on the good work carried out by the charity.

http://www.stclare-hospice.co.uk/

Please note: all money donated will go directly to the charity; there will be no contribution towards my trip to Mt Kilimanjaro!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.