Staffordshire Newsletter
Eccleshall businesswoman in mountainous fundraising effort
AN ECCLESHALL businesswoman is scaling new heights in her efforts to raise money for a charity that provides pallative care for young children in Staffordshire.
Gabrielle Hardy, managing director of ExtraMile Communications, an online marketing company has been training for nine months for a sponsored assault on Mount Kilimanjaro that she hopes will raise £19,341 – £1 for every foot of Africa’s highest peak – for the Donna Louise Children’s Hospice in Trentham.
In order to prepare for the climb in September, Ms Hardy recently flew to Morocco to tackle the highest mountain in North Africa, Morocco’s Mount Toubkal, battling 42 degree heat and a lack of oxygen to reach the 13,671ft summit.
“It was my birthday in April, but rather than ask for presents I asked my friends and family to help me get the fundraising started by sponsoring me instead,” she said.
She said she had raised more than £4,000 so far, enough money to pay for seven children to have a one day respite stay at the hospice, giving their families the opportunity to rest and recharge their batteries.
Ms Hardy’s preparations and training for the climb will continue later this month in the Cairngorms before she re-climbs Mount Snowdon in July.
Martyn Caton, an Eccleshall-based personal trainer who has been working with Ms Hardy, said she had adapted extremely well to what was a challenging and rapidly progessing exercise programme.
“She is constantly demonstrating the maximum effort, determination and ‘unwillingness to quit’ attitude that will certainly get her through the challenge ahead,” he said.
Melanie Mills, Director of Fundraising and PR at The Donna Louise Children’s Hospice, said: “This is a fantastic effort by Gabrielle and we will be cheering her on every step of the way and we are asking people to help her get to the summit by making a donation and sponsoring her.
Further information on Gabrielle’s progress can be found at http://kiligabs.blogspot.co.uk/, and donations can be made here http://www.justgiving.com/kiligabs.
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