On 9 August, I’ll begin walking to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in memory of my brother, Richard Chaplin, who died from bladder cancer on 19 December 2025, aged 49.

Richard was born on 16 September 1976.

He lived for 17,991 days.

So my fundraising target is £17,991.

One pound for every day he was here.

Richard died in the care of St Peter’s Hospice in Bristol, and that is why I’m raising money for them. They looked after him twice, including at the end of his life, and I want to do something meaningful in return.

Richard was a committed family man. He was married to Sarah for 22 years, and he was dad to Millie, 22, and Max, 19. He was also a massive part of his local community, especially through football and cricket, where he did a huge amount of volunteer work.

Like a lot of brothers, our relationship wasn’t always straightforward. We were different, we lived apart, and over the years life got complicated at times. But after our mum died of cancer in 2009, Richard and I became much closer.

Then last year, when he became ill, and especially after the terminal prognosis, it made me think hard about what we put off.

For about 20 years, I’ve wanted to climb Kilimanjaro. I bought a guidebook in Waterstones before Amazon was even a thing, which tells you how long this has been sitting on the list.

And like many things, I kept waiting for the right time.

Richard dying at 49 has reminded me that the right moment is never guaranteed.

So I’m doing it now.

I’m taking the Lemosho route, one of the longer Kilimanjaro routes, known for its scenery and better acclimatisation profile. I’ll be walking for eight days at altitude, with cold nights, long days, and a final summit attempt that usually starts in the dark.

The summit is 19,341 feet, which is roughly five times higher than the highest peak in the UK. At the top, the oxygen level will be around half of what it is here in the flats of Fenland, where I live.

So it is fair to say this is a long way from a gentle walk.

I am paying for the whole trip myself.

That means every penny donated through this page goes directly to St Peter’s Hospice.

The target is deliberately ambitious because I want this to be more than a gesture.

I want it to be a proper challenge.

For Richard.

For everyone who loved him.

And for St Peter’s Hospice, who cared for him when it mattered most.

If 180 people give £100, we will reach the target.

But please give whatever feels right. Whether it’s £10, £25, £50, £100 or more, it all helps.

And if you knew Richard, I’d love you to leave a message with your donation. A memory, a story, something funny, or simply his name.

Thank you for helping me do something good in memory of my brother.

Simon