Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Alkionides UK

Hi everyone!

I am a first-year student at the University of Bath and in October 2023 I will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for Alkionides UK Charity.

According to an ancient Greek myth, Alkioni was the daughter of Aiolos, God of the winds, who lost her beloved husband at sea, due to the wrath of Zeus. The Gods, touched by her grief, turned her into a seabird to be reunited with her husband, and for a few days in January, they calm the waters of the Aegean to enable her to hatch her offspring. This short period is called “Alkionides Days”, and Alkioni has become synonymous with hope, serenity and protection.

As the days in January provide a safe haven for Alkioni to hatch her eggs, Alkionides aims to provide a shelter for Cypriot patients and their families, receiving medical treatment in UK hospitals. It complements the support of the Cyprus government by providing free accommodation in north London, the Alkionides 'Nest'. The charity’s volunteers and psychologists provide moral support, translation and transport when required. It also offers emergency assistance to the UK Cypriot & Greek communities on a case-by-case basis and instigates projects to help groups or individuals in the Cypriot communities, such as families with children with special educational needs or students from low-income families.

I am humbled and honoured to undertake the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at an altitude of 5,895m, to support the noble cause of Alkionides. Over the next few months, as I prepare myself for this incredible journey, your support, big or small, will take me a long way.

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.