A group of 28 people from the business community will jet off to Tanzania today, to take on the iconic Mount Kilimanjaro for the young patients at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa with an elevation of 19,341 feet (5,895 metres).
The idea for the trek, dubbed the Kili4Kids Trek, came about after Mike Weaver, associate director and regional manager at professional services firm, WSP, decided he wanted to do something further to help the hospital’s patients following the charity’s annual Dragon Boat Race, in which WSP had a boat.
A number of his colleagues also wanted to get involved. After getting in touch with the charity to share their plans, the challenge grew legs, with the charity helping to bring on other partners, bringing it up to a 28-strong group.
The trek is being organised by Travel and Trek Limited and it will take the group eight days to climb and descend Kilimanjaro (travelling on 29 January and returning to the UK on 9 February).
The aim is to raise more than £200,000 towards the hospital’s £3m It Starts Here Appeal, to transform the hospital’s front entrance to help reduce the fear and anxiety of the 100,000 sick kids who are treated at the hospital treats every year.
Last updated nearly three decades ago, the current main entrance is cramped, dull and unwelcoming and doesn’t reflect the world-class care that takes place beyond it.
Families say it’s stressful to navigate and doesn’t put them or their children at ease. The It Starts Here Appeal will change this, transforming it into a bright, spacious and child-friendly space.
Mike Weaver said: “I was really inspired to support the Children’s Hospital after learning about the amazing work it does. We’re so lucky to have a world-class facility on our doorstep, which supports so many young children.
“I knew if we wanted to raise a significant sum of money, it would take an ambitious challenge, and Mount Kilimanjaro seemed like the perfect choice.
“I’m so looking forward to it and hope the business community will get behind us.”
Mark Brider, chief executive officer of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, who is also joining the trek, said: “It’s brilliant for us to have gathered so many passionate individuals who are willing to push themselves to the limit for our young patients, and we’re so grateful to them.
“It’s an incredibly inspiring group, with an ambitious target in sight, however everyone is so highly motivated, I’m sure we’ll smash it.”
Twenty-eight people are taking part in the Kili4Kids Trek, from across 11 organisations, including Absolute Collagen, adi Group, Amtico, BSN, DLA Piper, Midland Engineering, Raccoon Events, Specsavers, WSP, as well as a parent of a patient, and members from Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity and its Trust, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
The individuals have been busy fundraising and to date have raised more than £120,000 of their £200,000 target.
