In April 2010 a group of 20 people from the Sunderland Partnership (comprising Public, Private and Voluntary Sector Organisations) will be attempting to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The climb will attempted over a period of seven days from the 16th April – 22nd April.

The climb is a charitable one and myself and 2 colleagues from City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust are supporting The Princess Royal Trust Sunderland Carers’ Centre, a charity which offers a confidential advice, information and support service to carers throughout the City of Sunderland.

Half of our money raised will be going to work of the charity which provides:

Information and advice
Support and a listening ear
Support at meetings with health, social services and other agencies
Carers support groups where carers can meet others in similar situations
Courses on a range of caring-related subjects
Social activities to give carers a break
Newsletters every two months
Complementary therapies
Support and activities for young carers
Opportunities to influence service development

The other half of the money will be going to the Africa Blackwood Conservation Project which is planting trees on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro to reverse the devestating effects of deforrestation, hopefully mitigating our carbon footprint and leaving it in a better place than it was when we arrived.

All of our personal costs are covered independantly which mean that 100% of the donations go to the charity (even more with gift aid!)