Intrepid Swindon business people are being challenged to help a local charity achieve an unusual hat-trick – by scaling Mount Kilimanjaro and unfurling a tablecloth at its summit.
The cloth, made by TWIGS – the community gardening charity which supports people with mental health problems – has already been to the 20,000 ft peak of Kilimanjaro twice with previous expeditions. Now a third is being organised for early January to achieve its hat-trick – and raise further much-needed funds for the charity.
TWIGS fundraiser Christopher Loveday – a chartered surveyor and consultant with Savills estate agents and auctioneers – will be launching the appeal at a meeting of the popular networking group Business Village tomorrow.
Chris said: “This will be the fourth expedition we’ve sent to Kilimanjaro to support TWIGS; 11 people have taken part so far and all successfully made the climb raising about £30,000 altogether.
“The tablecloth was made at TWIGS – it’s been up twice so we’d like to send it up again for this expedition.”
Business Village has recently relocated to the Holiday Inn Express near junction 16 of the M4, and meets every Thursday from 7.30am to 9am. At tomorrow’s meeting Peter Barefoot, of property consultants Alder King and a former TWIGS expedition member, will talk about his experience.
Chris Loveday, who took part in a climb for TWIGS in 2009, said: “The walk is open to anybody who likes the idea of a challenge. They will have to be prepared for temperatures ranging from tropical to -40C, and half the oxygen normally available. When I did the climb, we also had high winds to deal with. But it was the experience of a lifetime.”
Christopher hopes 40 people will eventually reach the summit over a number of expeditions, and set up a Swindon Kili club.
Steve Dye, of Search Internet Marketing, who runs Business Village, said: “I am really looking forward to the presentation and I am sure there will be some among our members who will be tempted to take part. TWIGS is an excellent charity, and one well worth supporting.”
Business Village is open to anybody to attend. There is no membership fee, and each meeting costs £10 per person, which includes breakfast. For more details, and to pre-book to attend tomorrow’s presentation visit www.businessvillage.org or contact Steve on 07816 998341.
