Pictured above: Sue Reid at The Co-operative Travel branch
in Crown Wharf, Walsall, with from left, Cathryn Hewitt, Shelley
Middleton and Jane Castronovo
A travel agency boss is getting set for the most challenging
trip of her life - to walk to the 19,330 ft summit of Mount
Kilimanjaro for charity.
Sue Reid, General Manager of The Co-operative Travel, hopes to
ascend Africa's highest mountain in an eight day trek to raise more
than £4,000 for Women's Aid, the key national charity working
to end domestic violence against women and children.
Giving her moral support will be husband Ben Reid, Chief
Executive of The Midcounties Co-operative. The couple, accompanied
only by a guide and porters, will be tested on their stamina along
the route, camping each night when temperatures plunge below
freezing and running the real risk of altitude sickness.
Sue, who is 48 and lives in Worcestershire, said: "I wanted to
do something really challenging. I've been planning it for months
and training hard with mountain treks here and in Spain.
"I know it will be tough but it will be worth it and I'll be
supporting Women's Aid which is our charity partner. When we get to
the top and look out on the roof of Africa it is sure to be an
amazing and emotional experience."
The Co-operative Travel has branches from Staffordshire and the
Black Country to Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire
and colleagues have got behind the challenge with fundraising.
Sue will let supporters know how she is doing by updating her
blog at http://mountkilimanjaroclimb.blogspot.com using a solar
device to power her mobile phone on Kilimanjaro.
"We'll be walking between four and six hours a day but probably
the most challenging will be the last day. After a few hours sleep
we'll leave camp at 11pm in temperatures of -20 and with head
torches to light the way so we get to the summit to watch the
sunrise. It's only about 500 ft but the terrain is such that it
will take six hours to get there," explained Sue.
She flies out on 17 July, with her trusty walking boots and just
the bare essentials packed in the 15 kilos 'baggage allowance' she
can take on the mountain.
After the six days to the summit it will take just two days to
return. Sue will then have a few days relaxing in more comfortable
accommodation on safari to complete a memorable summer break.
Sue, who has worked in the travel industry for 32 years, added:
"I would like to thank everyone who has sponsored me so far and if
anyone wants to make a donation they can call into our travel
branches or go to www.justgiving.com/sue-reid "
Over the next two years Midcounties colleagues are raising money
to support the work of Women's Aid nationally and eleven local
services that operate within its trading areas, including refuges
at Wolverhampton, Walsall, Shropshire, Wyre Forest, Warwickshire,
Wycombe, Oxfordshire, The Forest of Dean and Gloucestershire.
Colleagues will also donate their time to volunteering projects
and get involved in campaign work.