.....OUR TRIP IS NOW COMPLETE BUT WE ARE STILL FUNDRAISING.  VIEW THE DETAILS OF OUR TREK ALSO ON WWW.TEAMKILI2014.BLOGSPOT.COM.

The Beginning.........

.....We are a group of close friends and family who decided to get together to raise money for Feet First Worldwide, a charity founded by one of the trekking team members - Steve Mannion in 2003.  Steve gives his time and expertise to treat physical disabilities and teach orthopaedic procedures to medics in disadvantaged countries with one of his overall aims being worldwide recognition and management of club foot, a condition which can be treated easily and at low cost in infancy.  To see the amazing work that Steve and his team do visit www.feetfirstworldwide.com.  Steve works with organisations throughout the world including CCBRT (www.ccbrt.or.tz) a Tanzanian non-governmental organisation established in 1994 in response to the need of people with disabilities in and around Dar es Salaam, including a programme is Moshi, close to Kilimanjaro.  Part of the funds raised will be dedicated to this programme and Steve will be undertaking operating and teaching as part of this expedition.  We will be updating you on individual life changing projects as they progress.

The decision and motivation to climb Kilimanjaro as our fundraising event came  from another of our team - Ed Monteiro.  Ed spent the first 14 years of his life in East Arica, attending boarding school in Arusha, Northern Tanzania.  He often went on trips to Moshi and was awestruck by the splendour of Mount Kilimanjaro.  He vowed that one day he would return and attempt to get to the summit.  Ed has always felt a strong emotional link with Africa.  His father was a doctor who supervised many hospitals and Ed was made aware of the poverty and suffering of the local population.  Ed hopes that by doing this climb to raise money for Feet First Worldwide he will be able to give something back to a country that gave him so many diverse childhood memories that have enriched his life.

Other team members in addition to Steve and Ed are Bob and Caroline Gallagher, Jo Monteiro, Maria Foulds and Regina Coulon.

We will be climing Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho Route which approaches the mountain from the rainforest on the western side, crossing the World Heritage site of the Shira plateau, the southern face of Kibo and the infamous Barranco Wall, eventually reaching the summit at the dizzy height of 5895 metres.

We have already started our training.   Last week a few of us had a training day in the Lakes, climbing Helvellyn to the summit twice in the baking heat of the day.  Firstly we ascended on the Western side and then again via Striding Edge - not for the faint-hearted, although Ed never missed an opportunity to get his camera out!  We'll keep you posted as our training progresses.

October Update - We're still training hard and we've been lucky so far with the weather.  We climbed Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales recently -736 metres.  On the way down it was more of an assault course as we were beseiged by over 700 cyclists that had come from all over the country to take part in a race covering the 3 Peaks in one day - it rather put us to shame managing just one peak!  We've also been training on Parlick Fell in the Forrest of Bowland (see photo below) but as the nights draw in we're having to use headlamps.

Maria and Jo have been training midweek also with Graham our trek coach! They have even tried abseiling both outdoors and on the climbing wall - I hope we don't have to do that on the way down Kili!  Have a look at the photos.

Steve is hoping to firm up the arrangements very soon for his work over in Tanzania at the local hospital either prior to our trek or afterwards.  We're hoping that the team will be able to visit the outreach clinic and see the valuable work that is being done. I'll keep you posted on the stories and what your donations have helped to achieve. 

We've got a big 2 day walk planned in November with our Kili guide and the full team.  We'll keep you posted on progress!

November update: Last weekend we completed a two day trek in the Lake District covering Scafell Pike and Fairfield Horshoe.  It was a great opportunity for all of us to meet our guide from Adventure Peaks, David Balshaw who provided us with a final pre-trek briefing.  Dave will be accompanying us up Kilimanjaro. Also the weekend was a great opportunity for the rest of the team to meet Martin Deaves, the final member of the trek who lives in Reading so obviously can't meet up for training with us very often.  We all got along well and we all managed to training weekend (apart from myself who had to head home early due to illness!)  We are all steppingup our training now as in less than 2 months we will be at the summit!  NB:  You'll note that Steve was missing from the team photo.  Unfortunately he had to cancel attending at the last minute as he flew to the Philippines to help with the aid mission for those hit by the typhoon.  He's back now safe and well.

A QUICK NOTE OF THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE DONATED SO FAR - WE'RE 20% OF THE WAY TO OUR TARGET!

DECEMBER UPDATE  We've continued with our training and we hope to do some more over the Christmas break in order to work off some of those mince pies!  We've had some good coverage of our Trek, both on Radio Wave and also an article in the Evening Gazette this week (Tuesday 17 Dec, page 22).  It all helps to boost the awareness of what we are doing and most importantly boost our total raised for Feet First!

Look out for an artricle about our Trek in the January edition of Lancashire Magazine.

We've just taken delivery also of our Team Kili Tee shirts.  Photo to follow along with a really attractive photo of Joanne training in her altitude mask - memories of Silence of the Lambs srping to mind!  Watch this space!!

WE'RE AL;MOST AT 30% OF OUR TARGET OF £10,000! 

January 7 2014 - Cash donations to date:  £405.  Team Kili would like to thank the following for their generous donations.  Beach Displays (£100), Jane and Richard Hesketh (£50), Ian and Gail Breedon (£50), Sheila Chappel (£5), Anne Peacock (£10), Dorothy Ford (£5), David Fisher (£10), Joseph Douthwaite (£10), Yasmin Baker (£5), Mr Deakin (£5), Mr S Rolfe (£20), Thomas Clarke (£40), James and June Manton (£50), Joan Rutter (£5), Delys Townsend (£20), Derek Kirk (£5), Jean Beverley (£5), Derrick Crompton (£10).  Ed Monteiro would like to personally thank all of the patients who have sponsored him and for their good wishes and words of support.

Further donations inlcude:  Mr Robert White (£10), Frank Brannan (£10) and Mrs D Isles (£50).  Thankyou to everyone from Ed for your kind donations. 

ONLY A FEW DAYS BEFORE WE GO AND WE ARE NOW OVER 60% TOWARDS OUR TARGET OF £10,000.  THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE DONATED SO FAR. 

PLEASE NOTE - 100% OF FUNDS RAISED GOES TO CHARITY - EACH TREKKER HAS FUNDED THEIR OWN TREK

 

FEBRUARY 2014 - We are now back from our epic trip.  It was truly memorable.  Everyone made it to the summit, but it was hard going.  We have so much to tell that it would take up too much space so check out our daily blog on teamkili2014.blogspot.com.  There are also loads of photos of our trek.  Also, we visited a local hospital where Steve undertakes his work for Feet First Worldwide.  It was amazing how positive everyone was and how much was achieved with so little.  Thank you to all those who have donated and helped us to exceed our target of £10,000.  The money will definitely be put to good use!  we really appreciate your contribution.

Our fundraising goes from strength to strength!  We are now over £11,000 which is amazing.  When the amount is increased due to the Gift Aid element the total is heading toward £14,000.  Thank you everyone for your generosity.

Thank you to Glasdon Group Ltd Charitable Giving Committee who have just donated £100 to our cause.

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