Louise sets £1000 target
Patterdale Mountain Rescue’s Supporters’ Club Secretary, Louise Walding, is planning some fundraising of her own, aiming to climb two of the highest mountains in Africa in aid of the Team.
Louise achieved her first target, Mount Toubkal in the High Atlas mountains of Morocco, at the end of September 2010 and is already training to climb even higher in 2011.
“Toubkal is the highest peak in northern Africa at 4,167 metres or 13,671 feet,” says Louise. “The trek in from near Marrakesh was beautiful and it was certainly exhilarating to be at the summit in snow after the heat of the valleys. My next target will be in September 2011 when I’m travelling to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at 5,893 metres or 19,334 feet. This is going to be much more of a challenge because of the additional altitude and its impact on my breathing and energy levels but I am training in and around Patterdale to be as fit as possible by the summer.”
Louise is hoping to raise at least £1000 for Patterdale MRT with her climbs and she has set up a JustGiving page so that friends, family and other supporters can make a donation. There is also a link from the Team’s website at www.mountainrescue.org.uk.
“Patterdale is one of the busier teams in the country and, like all mountain rescue in England and Wales, relies completely on volunteer team members and donations from supporters,” says Louise. “My partner, Andy, is an active member of Patterdale MRT, our dog, Corrie, is training for SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association) duties and I help to run the Supporters’ Club so it is a big part of my life, especially at the moment while I’m planning the Kilimanjaro trip too!”