Charity Events & Fundraising, King's Fine Food Blog
Holly King’s Video Diary for The Kilimanjaro Fundraising Trip
Mar
Congratulations Team Kilimanjaro!
OUR SINCERE THANKS TO:
Holly King, Laura Hutcheson, Ed Vokes, Amber Chaze, Allesandra Pasian, John Pasian, Sarah Hercock, Ben Rice, Jennifer Walklate, Josh Howell
Our amazing team has raised an incredible £28,000!
We are all so proud of this amazing team who battled hyperthermia, freak snowstorms and winds of 80 miles an hour on Kilimanjaro to raise an incredible £28,000 for the John King Brain Tumour Foundation. They are all complete superstars and have achieved 100 times more than most who have climbed this iconic mountain.
Day 1 – An incredible welcome…
After months of training and preparation, the team were finally in Tanzania and eager to start trekking the 5,895 metres to the summit. Day one saw scorching 30-degree heat but on day two, halfway along a six-hour trek, a freak snowstorm hit the group and they had no choice but to keep going to the next camp through the snow, ice and freezing temperatures as well as high winds and altitude sickness. It took every ounce of strength for them to keep going.
Day 2 – A bad nights sleep!
Day 3 – Hyperthermia – message to self, buy better waterproofs…
Day 4 – Morning Greeting, in need of a coffee fix!
Day 4 – Barranco Wall
Day 5 – Barranco Wall Camp
As the days went on the weather conditions didn’t improve and on the last day, just before reaching the summit, their expedition leader Dr David Davies told them that the conditions were now life-threatening and he had to get them off the mountain urgently as to continue would mean no hope of rescue as the weather escalated.
Back on terra firmer, the team were exhausted, on their hands and knees and emotional from what was an extremely challenging and life-threatening experience, but they were also so proud of what they had just achieved as individuals and as a team.
On reflection, the team have said that it was a real life-changing experience as well as being the most challenging thing they have ever done. I know their stories will carry on for many years and they will never forget their time on the mountain.
“I can’t thank you all enough for your generosity and support. It means so much to me and your donations will make such a big difference to those suffering from Brain Disease, Brain Tumours and Brain Injury.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was a life-changing experience and one that I will never forget. Although I was not able to summit due to the horrific weather conditions we faced at 5,500 meters, I thought of you all every step of the way. Every time I said to myself ‘ one foot in front of the other’ I knew I was getting closer and closer to the top which was for me the closest to heaven and my dad I would ever be.
I took some of my dad’s ashes to scatter at the summit but ended up scattering them at the most beautiful spot in view of Kilimanjaro. Thank you all so much again for your love and support and I can’t wait to see all we raised go towards much-needed equipment for St Georges hospital.”
Holly King