A MEMBER of staff at the city’s university is on a high after scaling one of the world’s most daunting mountains for charity.
Carly Baldwin, who is a press assistant at the University of Worcester, pushed herself to the limit as she joined an 28-strong team to climb Mount Kilimanjaro last month.
The gruelling eight-day trek in Tanzania saw Carly not only take in breathtaking views, but also raise £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
The idea was inspired by her two grandmothers’ fight against cancer and Carly, who put herself through 18 months of physical training to prepare for the trek, said she was delighted to have completed the challenge in their honour.
“The repetitive nature of the climb and the physical exhaustion, coupled with the fact that nearly all the climbers were doing the challenge in memory of a loved one they had lost, made the whole process mentally very tough,” she said.
“After losing a night’s sleep, you don’t really have the energy to celebrate too much at the top. It was just a feeling of relief that you have made it.
“Now, I’m extremely glad I did it, although I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet. I was lucky that everyone I was climbing with were absolutely lovely, so it’s nice to be able to share memories and photographs now that it’s all over.
“I’d love to do something else for charity in the future, but I think my mountain-climbing days are over for now.”
Kynton Swingle, president of Worcester Students’ Union, is also looking to complete the ascent of Kilimanjaro, which is the world’s highest freestanding mountain, when he starts the challenge tomorrow (Friday).
He is aiming to raise £2,600 for city-based charity Worcester Snoezelen, which provides a multi-sensory environment for people with severe learning difficulties.
To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Kynton-Swingle or text ‘WORC72’, plus the amount, to 70070.
