Ryan Millward, from local accountancy firm Millward, May & Co, has successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak and the world’s highest free-standing mountain, to raise awareness for Building for the Future, a local charity supporting children with disabilities.
Ryan reached the summit on the morning of Sunday, February 9, proudly holding up a t-shirt for the charity at the peak to help spread its message.
Reflecting on the climb, he said: “It’s incredibly challenging. You don’t feel like eating and you can hardly sleep due to altitude sickness.
“Before summit day, you spend five days trekking to get to that point. On the final push, we started our summit attempt at around midnight, and I had less than an hour of sleep beforehand.
“I reached the summit at around 6:30am, just as the sun was rising, it was an emotional moment. For most of it, I could only take a few steps before stopping to catch my breath.
“Summit day is relentless, you have to ascend over 1,000 meters before reaching the top. After summiting, you still need to descend 3,000 metres to reduce the effects of altitude.”
As part of Millward, May & Co’s 10-year celebrations in November 2024, the firm raised £1,000 for Building for the Future, marking another milestone in its ongoing support for the charity, which has been a partner since 2017. In addition to this, the firm has recently donated another £500 to further support the charity’s initiatives.
To donate to Building for the Future, visit www.bftf.org.uk and click ‘Donate’ at the top right corner.
