My two brothers and I are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in September 2015. Planning for it started way back in 2013, but having started out doing it solely for the experience of a lifetime and as a significant achievement, we recently discovered the Bedfordshire & Northamptonshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre was desperately short of funds. After finding this out, and ensuring we had fully paid for the trip, the decision to climb for this charity became an easy one. So, we decided to put together a fundraising page for the centre.

Kilimanjaro is the ceiling of Africa, one of the Seven Summits and the highest free-standing mountain in the world, at 5895m high. The air pressure at the summit of Kilimanjaro is just 40% that of sea level, and one-third of people who attempt the climb do not reach the summit. It therefore represents a substantial physical, logistical and psychological challenge for all three of us. 

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease which affects the central nervous system, and as of yet, is incurable. Our mother has MS, and has had for over 25 years - though it did not stop her from raising the three of us, despite all the shenanigans, skullduggery and injury-inducing adventures we indulged in as kids! She has been visiting the centre for years because it is the only Multiple Sclerosis centre in Bedfordshire and its neighbouring county, Northamptonshire. The centre provides a place where MS sufferers can go to meet with a community of other specialists and sufferers, people who understand the disease better and often are, too, living with it. There are precious few ways to manage the symptoms of the disease, and the centre makes it their top priority to see that visitors have access to as many of them as possible, as well as providing a friendly and supportive atmosphere. But, with several threats of closure over the past few years, this is far from guaranteed. 

All three of us were born in Bedford, Bedfordshire and know the area well - it was home to us for 18+ years and are saddened that a centre that does such good is facing such a funding shortfall. We have therefore decided to climb in this name. We have each made small donations which will go towards the final total, and hope that you will do the same - any amount, large or small, will be tremendously appreciated and will help no end in continuing the outstanding work the centre continues to do on a regular basis as well as giving us an extra incentive on the mountain.

Thank you!

Julian, Dominic and Tristan