Group of hikers reach new heights to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro in support of Southern Area Hospice Services

The group climbed 5,983m to the summit of the mountain in Tanzania in a gruelling eight-day challenge in September. They braved extreme temperatures ranging from 27 degrees to -18 degrees and managed to raise an outstanding total of £52,523.00 for the Hospice.

Emma Mullen, the founder of thehappinessplace hiking group and the organiser of the hike, said, “Kilimanjaro has been on my wish list for as long as I can remember.

"Alongside an incredible team from Newry and Armagh, we summited the world’s highest freestanding mountain at 6.34am on Friday, September 21 just in time to watch the sun rise over Tanzania.

"This hike has been the biggest challenge of our lives, made possible by our amazing Sherpas and guides. I am grateful for the friendships and to have raised over £52,000 is beyond all our expectations. We would like to thank our families, friends, local businesses and our local communities who supported our fundraising for the Southern Area Hospice, a charity close to our hearts."

Laura Rowntree, Fundraising Officer at Southern Area Hospice said, “We cannot thank this wonderful group of hikers enough for choosing to support our charity whilst taking on this once in a lifetime challenge. They worked so hard to prepare for this trek both physically and mentally and it is just a credit to them all to be able to come home to celebrate their success and present us with this remarkable donation”.

The money raised from this challenge will help the Hospice continue to provide the highest standard of specialist palliative care to individuals with complex life-limiting conditions. Southern Area Hospice Services are thankful to the local community for their ongoing support and generosity in their fundraising efforts every year.