Mount Kilimanjaro 10 Day Charity Hike

Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain above sea level in the world at 5,895 metres (19,341 feet for you old timers) above sea level. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is more than just a mountain challenge, it is an achievement many different people including athletes, nature lovers and hikers have set their eyes on but the mountain is colossal and with a nearly 50% fail rate, reaching the peak takes a hefty amount of work against significant odds.

 

Peter, Paul and Neal have taken up this challenge to raise as much money and awareness as possible for a local charity which operates in an area that means a lot to each of them - Men's Mental Health. While there isn't a different sort of 'male depression', some symptoms are more common in men than women. These include irritability, sudden anger, increased loss of control, risk-taking and aggression. Men may also be more likely to use alcohol and drugs to cope with their depression rather than talking about it (https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/m/men-and-mental-health).

The charity our team has chosen to support, Sean’s Place (www.seansplace.org.uk), is a charity which offers Mental Health Support for Men in Sefton and Liverpool; their aim is to improve men’s mental health and well-being through sessions specifically identified to improve confidence and self-esteem for men whilst reducing symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. Now more than ever there is a need to challenge the stigma around male mental health, they do this by providing a place that encourages positive discussions around mental health, in a non-clinical, non-judgemental setting through a variety of practical, proactive support and programmes.

 

We begin our ascent up Mount Kilimanjaro on 24th June 2022  and expect it to take 10 days to reach the summit as you have to descend after each ascent in order to help the body become used to the lower oxygen levels. 

Here are some of the Challenges our Team will face on Mount Kilimanjaro (www.iantaylortrekking.com):

Multitude of weather conditions with hot & cold temperatures, rain, wind etc all in the 10 days (bit like a Liverpool summer's day to be fair, except for the whole climbing of Africa's highest mountain thing!)

High UV levels from the sun, so we'll need to stay covered up

Extreme altitude above 5,800m/ 19,000 feet

The biggest summit day of our lives! Going up 1,245m/ 4,084 feet and down 2,795m/ 9,169 feet.

Physical fatigue from multi-day hiking

Lack of sleep

Dehydration, therefore, we'll need to be drinking 5 litres or more of water per day

And probably the most challenging thing of all: withdrawal symptoms from a lack of KFC!

Your Donations will help and give us the encouragement to reach the summit and feel proud accomplishing something which 50% of people who attempt it, do not manage to achieve. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is going to take determination, strength, and a strong mental attitude, and these are all things we hope our efforts and achievements can help inspire more people (not just males) to overcome challenges they may face from their own mental health issues, and hopefully raise awareness and understanding of an extremely important issue which too many people are quick to dismiss. 

Thank you all for your support and donations!