Business couple reach for new heights

Nov 3 2009 The Journal

“We’ve been preparing, training hard in the gym, but we have been told that nothing can prepare you for the altitude sickness – the fittest person on the planet can get it.”

The 15,100ft (4,600m) hike will be raising money for a COCO-supported school near Moshi in north east Tanzania.

Jocelyn said: “I’ve known Steve for years and he is a great guy and he runs a great charity.

“When we saw the trek was the prize, we just fancied that and it has grown from there.

“It’s going to be really difficult – it’s going to be really cold, you have to try and acclimatise to the altitude sickness and there will be no toilets or showers for eight days.

“I think we’ll be pretty minging by the time we get down!” COCO was set up in 2000 after British Army officer Jim Panton and Steve Cram joined forces to raise funds for children of a war-torn community in Bosnia, where Jim was stationed.

They ran a 52-mile marathon with a few of Jim’s fellow officers – and then did it all again the year after in the Comrade’s Marathon in South Africa.

The latest expedition came out of a fundraising auction where the prize was a trek up Kilimanjaro.

Steve said: “I’m always up for a challenge and climbing Kilimanjaro has always been near the top of my list.

“It will be an ambition fulfilled if I make it.

“I’m looking forward to visiting our projects there and our fellow climbers will see how important and effective their fundraising efforts will be.”