Kilimanjaro ascent for ‘anonymous’ charity
Members of a local charity joined a cliff walk with an islander who is hoping to reach peak performance this summer.
Ambrose Netherton is embarking on a challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in August to raise money for the Guernsey Kidney Patients Association.
‘I was just looking for a challenge, and it popped up in conversation last year and what an opportunity it would be,’ he said.
‘My friend is a committee member for the charity and so we decided to make it a charity thing.’
The charity is typically only known to people who have friends or family who have chronic kidney disease or who have kidney dialysis multiple times a week.
‘I’d never heard of the charity before and they deserve more awareness. Unless they’ve helped friends or family it’s very unlikely you will have heard of them before, so I thought it would be a good charity to give some awareness and raise some money for,’ said Mr Netherton.
‘Until it happens, I’m just trying to keep fit really and make sure that I’m moving as much as I can.’
It is expected to take four days to reach the summit, and three days to get back down.
The plan is to complete about 10km a day, but a lot of that will be climbing, and the group will often have to go down in order to go up.
‘The climate is very different, it’s about plus-30 when you start at the bottom but at the summit it gets around minus 10, so it’s quite a big climate change throughout the hike which will make it more interesting,’ said Mr Netherton.
He may also have to deal with obstacles such as altitude sickness.
The GKPA raises money to bridge the gap from what funding the States provides for patients.
It hopes that this mammoth challenge will help boost its profile.
‘We help patients and families with holiday dialysis or if they want to travel with someone who is having a transplant or treatment, as well as new equipment within the renal unit, because we’re actually not part of the PEH, we’re part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London,’ said GKPA chairwoman Justine Gilman.
‘We’re trying to get some corporate sponsors for Ambrose’s costs because he is going to cover it himself anyway, but if anyone can help assist with the cost then that would be fantastic.’
The charity is hosting a cake sale in the hospital canteen on 26 March and Seafront Sunday on 30 June where Mr Netherton will hopefully be walking on a treadmill.
Anyone who wishes to make a contribution to the cost of the trip or a donation to the charity can do so by emailing gkpaguernsey@outlook.com or justine.gilman@outlook.com.
