Kilimanjaro triumph for Somerset farmer in charity challenge

05 October 2012

A Somerset farmer from the village of Bishop Lydeard has touched new heights this morning when he reached the summit of Africa’s highest mountain following a gruelling six day charity trek.

James Hawthorne,45, is part of a team of eight from the NFU which has put itself through the punishing ‘Kilimanjaro Challenge’ to raise funds for Farm Africa.  The UK charity works to end hunger in Africa, not through food aid, but by providing the skills and know-how to help African farmers farm their continent out of famine.

The Africa 100 Appeal team set out from Kibo Base Camp last night for the final push to the summit, climbing 1200 metres in dark, freezing conditions and oxygen-thin air. Conditions at the base camp were basic. There was no water for washing as it had to be saved for the final ascent and the exhausted climbers found it hard to sleep before setting off due to the extreme altitude.

James and his fellow climbers reached the summit at 9am following a final scramble up a steep trail over loose volcanic scree.

 Farm Africa’s Head of Community and Events Fundraising, Cathy Whiteman, has been co-ordinating the climb right from the start. She said:

“Farm Africa is thrilled with this morning’s news.  Getting to the top of Kilimanjaro is hugely demanding so this is an absolutely fantastic effort! And the good news is that it’s still not too late to make a donation to reward all the hard work and training.”

And NFU senior media adviser Sharon Hockley, who has worked to support the Africa 100 Appeal, said she was extremely proud of the team’s achievement.

“I know how hard everyone has trained for this climb and today is a momentous achievement for them all,” she said. “They have all worked extremely hard to raise funds too for Farm Africa and that work continues.  To anyone inspired by today’s news I would say please get in touch and donate; your money will make all the difference to those trying to grow enough food to feed their families in eastern Africa, something thankfully, we can all take for granted.”

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JamesHawthorne

Ends

Images are available on request.

For further information, please contact:

Jane Spence:    janes@farmafrica.org.uk / t: 020 7067 1252

You can follow James and his fellow climbers on Twitter as they descend Kilimanjaro, using the hashtag #kilichallenge.

Notes for editors:

The Kilimanjaro Challenge is part of the NFU’s Africa 100 Appeal. The appeal is reaching out across the food and farming industry to raise money for Farm Africa. Previous donations raised by the 2008 Appeal amounted to a massive £220,000 and saw the launch of the Cassava Project, reinstating a traditional tuber crop and re-educating farmers and their families about its multiple uses to build food security.

About Farm Africa

Farm Africa works on the principle that ‘farm aid’, not food aid, is the key to banishing famine from a continent which possesses 60% of the world’s uncultivated land.  Africa’s millions of smallholders can, with the right support, farm their countries out of famine and help Africa to feed itself.

80% of rural Africans rely on farming for their living, but they often use traditional methods and lack access to soil improvers, drought-tolerant and disease resistant plants, and water.  Farm Africa offers fresh ideas and solutions to some of the key problems they face.

Providing tools, training, better seeds, and new technology, Farm Africa specialists work directly with grassroots smallholders, herders, fish farmers and forest dwellers to modernise their methods, boost harvests, and create sustainable income on which greater health and wealth can be built without exploiting Africa’s fragile environment.

For more information about Farm Africa please visit: www.farmafrica.org

For more on the Africa 100 Appeal’s work with the charity to date: http://www.nfuonline.com/About-the-NFU/Africa-100/Farm-Africa/