Kilimanjaro fundraising climb for Ayrshire Hospice Doctor

Mar 5 2010 by Yonnie McInnes, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

AYRSHIRE Hospice doctor Keith Grant has already climbed considerable fundraising heights before he tackles reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

His fundraising target is £7500.

It’s exactly the sum that needs to be raised each and every day to enable the charity to continue with its wonderful work both in the community and at the hospice itself.

“I’ve workedŠ at the hospice for nearly nine years and felt I would like to add my support to the many people who so generously donate their time, skills and money to the hospice. I also wanted a challenge,” said Dr Grant, associate specialist at the hospice, who sets off on this great adventure on Friday, March 19.

As I write this, Dr Grant has already achieved a superb £6568.30, but would LOVE to exceed his target and also draw attention to his fellow trekkers.

“I’m only one of a party of 13 individuals who are all raising money for the hospice in an event organised by Justine Cullen and Graeme Strawhorn of our fundraising department.

“I’m taking care of all my travel expenses, so everything I raise will go to the hospice.

“My fellow trekkers are Alistair Neill, Chris McMail, Graeme Strawhorn, Ian Sey, John and Kathleen McCallum, Justine Cullen, Roger Woods, Ronnie Steele, Steve Hyde, Steve Roberts and David Ramsay.

“We’ll all spend six days and nights trekking up Kilimanjaro on the Machame Route.

“The summit at 5895m – nearly 20,000ft – is the highest point in Africa.

“Kilimanjaro is the largest free-standing mountain in the world and is higher than Everest base camp.

“Each of us signed up to raise over £3600 for the hospice.

“Initially, I aimed to raise £5895 – a pound for every meter climbed.”

However, Keith was so delighted at the response to his various fundraisers that he soon decided to increase his target.

To raise the cash this intrepid doc contacted Lee McKenzie, BBC Formula One reporter, who grew up in Ayr and who began her career in journalism writing a column ‘Horsing Around’ for the Ayrshire Post.

Lee sent Keith a Brawn racing team cap signed byŠJenson Button, Formula One world champion, which went for £750 at a hospice auction.

“Kilmarnock, Rangers, Celtic, Manchester United and Liverpool football clubs have all sent me items to be auctioned and I also did bag packing at Marks and Spencer, Ayr, on Christmas Eve, helped by my two daughters Gillian and Jennifer,” added Keith.

“One of the hospice chefs, Bernadette Park, gave her own time to prepare a gourmet meal for an invited group at my home.

“Our guests were asked to donate what they felt was an appropriate sum.

“They really excelled themselves as we raised nearly £1000.

“Staff from the hospice ward hold an annual Easter raffle, and this year the sum raised will be added to the Kilimanjaro fund.

“Members of the nursing and care assistant staff have come up with some brilliant raffle prizes, such as donating their time to clean the ticket winner’s house for three hours.

“I’ve been very touched by the support from the hospice staff; learned a great deal about the work of the fundraising department on our behalf; and how difficult it is to raise the sums required to keep the hospice running.

“Nearly £4m needs to be fundraised this year alone.

“All the trekkers have JustGiving web pages,” said Dr Grant.

“Mine is at www.justgiving.com/keithgrant/ where people can donate online.

“To support my fellow trekkers log onto www.justgiving.com/Ayrshirehospice and select which one(s) you wish.

“Once you donate, JustGiving send the money electronically directly to the hospice fundraising department.

“If you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28 per cent in Gift Aid is added at no extra cost to the donor.

“Alternatively, supporters might prefer to send cash or a cheque – signed Ayrshire Hospice – to either the fundraising department at 29 Miller Road, Ayr, KA7 2AX, or the hospice at 35 Racecourse Road, Ayr, KA7 2TG – marked for the ‘Kilimanjaro Trek.’

“We will camp for five nights on the mountain and travel via the Machame Route, which leads us up through humid rainforests to the high moorlands and alpine plateaux, hopefully giving us time to acclimatise and avoid anything more than mild altitude sickness.

“Our penultimate day on the mountain starts with a six-hour trek by torchlight at midnight, through the snow, to reach the Urhuru Peak as dawn breaks.

“We will then be at the highest point on the African continent, which is nearly four miles high, and we’ve been given advice on how best to cope with this altitude.

“The temperature will fall to between minus 10 and minus 30 degrees on the final days.

“Our group have done a number of practice hill walks and attended a meeting with the travel company to check out our kit.

“Fitness is very important and all members of the group have been training for the last few months to increase their stamina.”