In February 2017 I will be taking part in a 12 day trek to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I will be raising money for Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity (formerly Yorkhill Children's Charity) and I have a minimum fundraising target of £4,500. In 2014 I was due to take part in the Everest Base Camp Trek but had to withdraw due to illness - this is my second chance to do something worthwhile for this amazing charity!

Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of the largest volcanoes to ever break through the Earth’s crust and is the world's highest free-standing mountain. My challenge is to climb to the summit in 12 days, which will be physically and mentally gruelling. I will be trekking for up to 8 hours a day whilst acclimatising to the high altitudes on the mountain, including the summit which stands at 5895m above sea level. I'll also be battling temperatures as low as -15 degrees and trekking for up to 15 hours through the night on summit day.

Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity raises money to ensure that Scotland's sick children and their families receive the best possible care and experience while at hospital.

160,000 babies, children and young people are treated at the hospital every year. Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity sits firmly at the heart of the hospital, raising money to ensure that our young patients and their families receive the best possible care.

With your support, they can fund:
◾Enhanced medical equipment to help our doctors, nurses and surgeons treat our children;
◾Innovative play programmes that help to distract, teach and treat children during their stay;
◾Family support services that care for parents, families and carers during difficult times;
◾Groundbreaking paediatric research to help future generations of Scotland's children

This is an amazing charity that I feel proud to be raising money for. This trek is going to be very challenging but with your support and donations I'll be able to contribute to the amazing work they do. I'll be doing some intense training during the lead-up to the trip and I have also set myself some personal fitness and weight loss goals which I will keep you all up to date with. Even the smallest donation will make a difference and I'll be trying my best to raise as much money as possible.

Thank you!

Laura xox