Mount Kilimanjaro hike for 70 years
We recognise that people face challenges and some have mountains to climb every day. We wanted to challenge ourselves to get creative with our fundraising initiatives, to get out of our comfort zone, and do something different with the goal of helping the charity raise £70,000 to celebrate 70 years of Camphill Village Trust. This is just the start of our £70,000 for 70 years fundraising campaign, bringing together our communities, the people we support, friends, families and anyone wishing to get involved to continue to create a life of opportunity for the people we support and our communities.
Your support will help more adults with learning disabilities and autism to live independent, active and healthy lives, accessing the benefit of nature through a wide range of opportunities provided by the Trust.
So how will we achieve our goals? Our CEO, Sara Thakkar, is leading the programme, together with Directors, Claire Twaites and Sally Watts and supported by Mia and Alex Lombardi, and Sam and Jack Bennett; a group of young fundraisers passionate about our cause. The brave seven will embark on an incredible challenge to climb to the roof of Africa; Mount Kilimanjaro, a total of 8 extreme days climbing; 5th to the 12th of October.
The challenge in figures: 19,341 ft / 42km / 7 days!
Meet the intrepid trio
Sara's story
Let me share why I wanted to do this for the Charity - This is ‘I’ as I tell my story but is absolutely ‘we’ in my head …
I have a deep respect for the history of the Charity and a passion for its future. I wanted to do something that pushed my personal boundaries and resonated with our Charity values. I wanted to play my part in making sure we continued to fund the life of opportunity for those that may not have that same opportunity as me. I wanted to do this to mark 70 years behind us and another 70 years ahead.
Like the Trust, I recognise the power created through the connection between nature and people. The significant benefits, both mental and physical wellbeing which that unique relationship brings.
As a Trust we support people to maximise their potential. Building confidence, skills and social connection. I saw the challenge to get to the summit of the tallest free standing mountain in the world as a way of showing that, however old we are, whatever our support needs and however tough things can be; with the right support and the right people around us, we can achieve amazing goals.
As a charity we promote healthy, active living. Through COVID I became very unfit and unhealthy. It affected my mental health and certainly my ability to do physical activity following a historic severe back injury and hip abnormality. I know how tough it is to motivate myself and I wanted to do this challenge to show that with a positive mindset and just the right care, we can achieve what sometimes can feel like the impossible. My own recovery came from being in nature and using the many benefits that our wonderful planet provides - so it felt right to choose a tough challenge that explores many terrains and allows us to "reach for the stars" both physically and mentally.
I wanted to include people we support in the journey. Showing how we all equally contribute to society. Whatever our differences. Hearing how our staff and communities are coming up with all sorts of challenges to support us is amazing.
Co-production sits at the heart of who we are as a charity and we could do not this without the seven of us shaping our journey together, facing the toughest of mental and physical challenges collectively and working out the art of the possible to raise money, do our jobs, support our families and stay sane!
My training schedule has been eclectic! I am not where I need to be due to real pressures of work and time. I have used my evenings and weekends to walk, gym and reformer pilates. The latter to strengthen aging knees, hips and dodgy back!
I have climbed mountains in England (the Lake District) in driving rain at 6am and Wales (Snowdon in deep cloud at 7am on my birthday!).
I have really relished time in Botton with Sally and Claire; walking and talking and getting trip fit.
I have taken on a PT with recent birthday gift money to do a session a week to really focus my efforts for four weeks and will do daily runs (I HATE running!!!) whilst on holiday with my parents in September - so a lot of our commitment is not just about getting fit; it's about taking precious family time to support our endeavour's for the Charity whilst also driving fundraising on top of a really hectic work schedule. I cannot deny it’s a really tough ask but for an incredible cause.
Claire's story
I met Sara Thakkar as part of my onboarding to the Charity last summer. She inspired me with her ambition to do an extraordinary personal, physical and mental challenge both as part of a fundraising effort and as a reflection of the challenges many people we support face. That challenge was to climb ‘The Roof of Africa’ and I committed to joining in and have been working on my fitness goals ever since!
This challenge is not just about the seven days climb itself, but the preparation and motivation required to do the training each day and week despite the weather, acts as a constant reminder as to why we are doing this. Finding the motivation at 6.30am to go to the gym, or to climb a mountain in Wales in rain and sleet, or undertaking a hike whilst on holiday in 30 degrees and with limited kit, water and maps, is pushing my motivation, skills and mental ability.
As a charity that supports adults with learning disabilities, autism or mental health challenges, we recognise that being outside and in nature has a massive impact on wellness and wellbeing, and also that each person we support has capacity to live a life of opportunity. Signing up to do something that stretches my own personal capability and stamina is something I wanted to experience. We celebrate ‘Heroic Acts’ of our people going above, and beyond, and working as a team with Sara and Sally we aim to do just that.
My training programme:
Strength, conditioning and balance: We'll be carrying backpacks weighing just under a stone up the mountain, combined with rough volcanic terrain, especially on the descent. My weekly plan includes a 7am Friday Pilates and Strength & Conditioning class, plus at least one HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout. As we enter the last two months, I aim to increase strength workouts to six times per week, including online classes at home, and have even joined a gym in Ibiza!
Hiking: In the last three months, I've hiked several Welsh mountains, including Cadair Idris, Snowdon, and Tryfan, even bringing my six-year-old on a few and poor Molly-Dog up Snowdon! More hikes are planned for August and September, including a kit practice and team-building in the Lake District with Sara and Sally. With longer daylight hours, I aim to increase daily dog walks to 5k whenever possible. While on holiday in Ibiza and Formentera, I completed several 15k+ hikes in 30-degree heat, many up rolling pine hills and rocky coast paths — good training for the hotter stages of the climb.
Cardio and endurance titness: I'm not a runner, so joining 6am runs with Sally during regionals is rare. However, evening walks in Botton and morning strolls in Gloucester have featured! As a 'couch to 5k' participant, I am now starting to add a 30 minute run to my training plan once a week and aim to cycle to the gym whenever possible. This is part of my mental challenge, as getting motivated to run or cycle long distances is not my thing at all.
Diet and determination: I’ll be making further changes to my healthy eating habits to get in gear and be mind, body, and spirit ready for October.
Sally's story
My training has so far focussed on time on my feet walking and training for a running event I did last weekend – the Lakeland 50, a 50 mile running race in the Lake District!
Whilst running and walking up the steeps hills (it was nearly 10,000ft of ascent!), I kept willing myself on, thinking that this was great training for our epic attempt of Kilimanjaro and that this huge personal challenge is going to support the charity to continue to do its great work and give the people we support the life of opportunity to do things they personally find challenging.
I loved the Lakeland 50; it was a tough event and the fact it started at lunchtime and we ran into the night was another great training opportunity as we will be starting the submit in the dark.
On Saturday I did a solo attempt of the Yorkshire Three Peaks; I was up at 5.30am drive to Yorkshire Dales for a big day on the hill. Not only a very tough trek, with three big climbs but I had to face my absolute biggest fear of walking right past cows. I am terrified as they are so unpredictable although beautiful. There was no alternative as it was eight miles back by road or keep going eight miles over Ingleborough past the cows.
The fearless four
Alongside our intrepid trio, four fearless cousins, Mia, Alex, Sam and Jack will join them to climb the tallest freestanding mountain to raise money for Camphill Village Trust. Driven by the incredible work our charity does in supporting adults with learning and other disabilities, this dedicated group is determined to raise vital funds to support our cause. Their shared commitment reflects the heart of our mission, as they take on this challenging ascent not only as an extraordinary personal endeavor but also as a powerful way to give back and ensure we can continue making a meaningful impact in the lives of those we support.
The cousins have been training hard for this incredible challenge...
Mia has completed her August 600 challenge: "My 600 challenge is now COMPLETE with a total of 105km run, 310km biked and 186km hiked!"
Jack has successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro FOUR TIMES on the Stairmaster this month! What a challenge.
Alex has been getting "out and about" in his kayak.
And, they have already successfully climbed Ben Nevis.
Our trio's training in action
Let's see our team in action as they prepare for the biggest climb of their life...
''I wanted to do something that pushed all normal boundaries and I wanted to raise awareness of the challenges that many people with differing support needs face every day. Our 70th year felt the right time to do that. I am incredibly proud that Claire and Sally did not hesitate to join me and that not just 1, but 4 of my close family were prepared to push themselves to the limit for our incredible cause.''
Sara Thakkar, CEO
Team training updates
With just weeks to go, the trio are ramping up the training in readiness for the 42 miles, high-altitude, endurance climb.
They've been training hard, balancing the demands of work and home life with gym sessions, long hikes and a recent pre-Kili training climb to England’s highest peak, Scafell Pike (3208 ft).
Fuelled by percy pigs and jammy dodgers, the trio recently embarked on a practise climb and learnt a lot about kit, fitness, standing upright and overcoming weather challenges!
With your help we can continue supporting adults with learning and other disabilities to live a life of opportunity.
