A fundraising trip of a lifetime!
01 January, 2024
Later this month, with the support of his wife Debbie and daughters, Rebecca and Charlotte, Reading resident, Howard Meredith – 58, will fly out to Tanzania to fulfil his lifelong ambition to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Whilst ticking off a ‘must do’ on his bucket list, Howard also saw this as a great opportunity to fundraise for Colostomy UK. Here’s what he told us about his upcoming trip.
How did this expedition come about?
It’s something that’s been on my wish list and last year I saw that a friend had some spaces on a trip with his expedition company Aspire Adventures, so I took the plunge and signed up.
Why Mount Kilimanjaro?
It is an iconic mountain, but climbing it is achievable. Once at the top, it will feel like a fantastic achievement!
Why did you decide to make it a fundraising challenge?
Whilst I am funding the cost of the trip myself, I thought it would be a lost opportunity not to raise some money for a good cause. Doing something that helps a charity which has a personal connection to me seemed right and what better than Colostomy UK, where my wife Debbie started volunteering at the start of 2023. Debbie has been battling bowel cancer since 2019 which resulted in her needing two stoma bags for the rest of her life. Volunteering has helped her to give back and support other people going through similar life-changing journeys. So, being able to raise money while doing something I had dreamed of, seems a perfect match.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is quite a feat, but Debbie’s illness must have been very difficult for both of you?
Yes, it’s been a very stressful few years for all the family with Debbie’s six operations. We also both lost our parents during that time and had the Covid lockdowns to deal with.
Have you done any similar challenges before?
My highest ascent so far has been Snowdon but Kilimanjaro at nearly 6000 metres is on a different level.
How long is the expedition?
I fly out on January 18th, 2024, and we set off on 20th January. It will be seven days on the mountain.
What kind of training have you done for the expedition?
I’ve increased my walking to an average of 10km a day, plus some running and core strength exercises. Having a dog and playing golf has helped. I also did a training weekend in Snowdonia.
Tell us about the expedition group?
There are about 30 of us supported by a team of Sherpas who’ll set up the camps and prepare food, so we can focus on the climb and enjoying the experience. I will be one of the oldest but everyone’s fantastic and I’m sure there’ll be a great team spirit.
Is there anything you’re daunted by?
Tanzania isn’t far from the Equator but as you climb, it will obviously get colder, with snow, minus temperatures and less oxygen as the air becomes a lot thinner, so that will be a bit of an unknown.
What did your family and friends think when you first told them about your plans?
Generally, the first reaction was ‘are you mad?’ followed by ‘why?’ and ‘how high is it?’ After the initial anxiety, everyone has been very supportive.
How much have you raised so far?
I’ve raised over £2,000 for Colostomy UK, which is amazing! This is double what I’d originally targeted. But I’m hoping to get the total even higher! If you’d like to donate, you can find my fundraising page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/howard-meredith-kilimanjaro-colostomyuk
Have you found it difficult to fundraise?
It’s been easy in the sense that I set up a page on the JustGiving platform, so that any donations can be sent directly to Colostomy UK. Social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn are great for promoting the challenge to my family, friends and work colleagues and keeping them updated with my training and progress. The hard part is balancing updates with trying not to bombard people with requests for donations but everyone has been very generous.
What would you say to someone contemplating doing a similar challenge?
I’d say, you never know what life is going to throw at you, so if you’ve got something you want to do, go for it!
Look out for our next interview with Howard in the Summer issue of Tidings, where you can find out how his expedition went.
