More information and pictures available at tonymetcalfe.co.uk - my Kilimanjaro website.

My name is Tony Metcalfe and I'm climbing Kilimanjaro in memory of Sue Donkin...

I was headteacher of Clavering School, Hartlepool, until my retirement in December 2009. I am currently a churchwarden of St. Hilda's Church in old Hartlepool.

For about 15 years Sue worked at Clavering School.She was calm and professional, popular with pupils and staff. One day she couldn't come into school. She was in great pain, unable to move. Her sister took her to hospital and she had to face the worst possible news. She had developed cancer. Worse, the cancer in her spine was secondary and the condition was terminal. Sue continued to work during treatment until the week before she died at Easter 2010. She was so brave, so professional; so incredibly serene that I found it difficult to believe she was terminally ill.Sue was inspirational in the way she coped with the disease. When I attended Sue's memorial service at Clavering School, I promised to do 'something' in Sue's memory for her chosen cause - Hartlepool Hospice. It has taken me 3 years to fulfil this promise.

In 2010 I was diagnosed with diabetes which meant I had to keep fit and exercise. I started walking...and walking.. One day I was asked where I was going to walk next. I replied Kilimanjaro and remembered my promise to Sue.

I have set myself a challenging training regime:

1) I began to climb Roseberry Topping (3 times per week)

2) At the beginning of August I completed the St. Cuthbert's Way, a       walk of 70 miles including a diversion to climb the Cheviot

3) At the end of August I completed the Yorkshier Peaks climb -             Ingleborough, Whernside & Pen-y-Ghent

4) On September 11th I began the Coast to Coast walk (200 miles). It     took me a fortnight to complete.

5) In January 2014 I climbed Kilimanjaro, reaching Stella Point