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Climbing Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Four Paws

Our amazing supporters Alexandra and James recently took on the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, to raise money for Four Paws! 

7.10.2019

Alexandra and James chose this adventure as part of their wedding and honeymoon – and this week we got to catch up with them and ask a few questions about how it went...

 

It’s amazing that you have taken on such an incredible challenge to raise money for Four Paws – was there a standout reason why you picked us as your chosen charity?

We've been following Four Paws' work for a while now and always been amazed by the lengths you go to (and the danger you face) to rescue mistreated animals. I fell in love with Four Paws when you announced the rescue mission at Syria's Aleppo Zoo, we followed the entire rescue mission from start to finish. 

Congratulations on the wedding too! Are there any more adventures like this planned for the future?

We love animals and the outdoors and we're always on active holidays with wildlife involved! Costa Rica could be next but we’re lucky enough to have been on many trips before to Africa, South America and Asia. We always try our best to stay in eco-hotels and use local, ethical tour agencies. We haven’t planned our next fundraiser yet, but you never know!  

Climbing Kilimanjaro is an incredible challenge - how long did it take you to climb & how did you prepare for it?

It took us seven days/six nights. It was probably one of the toughest things we've ever done together, but what an experience! We're naturally quite fit as we do lots of walking and you can always find James in the gym, we've also trekked in other places (Annapurna in the Himalayas, Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia, Machu Picchu in Peru...etc.) so this felt like a challenge we could take on. It wasn’t easy, but knowing we were doing it for charity gave us the daily push we needed to complete it. 

What were your high and low moments of the climb?

I remember the realisation that we will spend the next six days without a proper shower and the comfort of a bed, that was a definite low moment. During the trek we saw lots of people falling sick due to the high altitude or struggling with fitness. Watching them having to give up during the climb was hard and mentally draining, thankfully we had each other to spur us on, plus knowing we would be helping Four Paws. 

There were so many highlights. One that stands out was seeing wild monkeys in the jungle during the first day and the beautiful & different landscapes during the entire trek. The best moment was of course successfully reaching the top! Oh and the kiss, right at the top :) 

Thanks again for taking on this challenge to raise money to help us continue our work for animals! Do you have any animals at home and what is your favourite animal?

We indeed have two cats at home - they're Maine Coons (a very social breed) and we love them so much! 
We love animals but if we had to choose a favourite we would say the big cats - tigers, lions, cheetahs and leopards... they're all incredible! 

Alexandra and James managed to raise a grand total of £330 (Alexandra’s manager generously matched their original total of £165) for Four Paws to continue our important work and help more animals! You can find out more about their story on their JustGiving page here. 

 

Thinking of taking on a fundraising activity to raise money for Four Paws? Check out our fundraising section here for everything you will need to get started! 

Animal Charity

Jenny Canham

Campaigns Officer

Jenny works in the Campaigns Team at FOUR PAWS UK, and manages the UK farmed animal campaigns Make Food Kinder and Wear it Kind. She has a background in journalism, and has worked across various animal non-profits and grassroots advocacy organisations in the UK and internationally.

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