I am Tony Mattravers, a married father of one who has wanted to climb Kilimanjaro for many years.
About two years ago, I was three and a half stone heavier than I am now, but took a decision to change my life, as I was not doing any exercise and eating too much. I wanted to lose two stone to go wing walking, but once I had managed to lose two stone, the Kilimanjaro dream started to come back as a possibility into my life. There was a small issue of not being fit but I had time and the mind was focused.
The trip was booked on Father’s day 2014, sealed with some trekking socks from my toddler Ollie, which was as good as a ticket from him and his mum.
The seven day Machame route was booked for September 2015 and I had made the decision that I was going to self-fund the trip.
I set myself the challenge to raise an equal amount of the cost of the trip for charity. I am approaching friends, family and local businesses and asking if they would like to sponsor an item of equipment, or part of a flight etc. This will be an ideal way to raise awareness of my challenge and the cause of Cruse Bereavement Care. The local Somerset branch is based in Glastonbury.
They offer bereavement support and cover support to children who has lost loved ones, more details can be found on http://www.cruse.org.uk/
I will collect the logo’s from companies who sponsor an item of equipment and will have them printed onto a t-Shirt, which hopefully, fingers crossed, I will be able to have photographed at the summit, if I make it.
Please visit my Just giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/Tony-Mattravers/
