TWO Huddersfield students have helped raise more than £73,000 for charity by climbing Africa’s highest mountain.
Former Huddersfield New College students Greg Newton and Rachel Humphries were among 28 adventurers who scaled Kilimanjaro to raise cash for Childreach International.
They reached the 19,000ft summit after a gruelling seven-day trek.
Greg and Rachel, both 20, had to raise £4,800 between them to fund their places on the expedition.
The friends, both studying at Northumbria University, organised a charity band night at St Patrick’s Centre as part of their fundraising.
Greg is studying public relations and communications while Rachel is studying fashion design.
Greg, from Newsome, said the idea for the mountain challenge had its origins in a student exchange programme in 2008 between Huddersfield New College and a group of students in Tanzania.
Greg said: “Our group of 28 students from Northumbria University together raised £73,780 for Childreach International.
He described the tough climb as “brilliant, challenging, humbling.”
“I had been quite poorly during the first few days acclimatising and there were stages where I thought I would have to pull out because I could hardly breathe. The final stage was the most exhausting 10 hours of our lives. It was hard putting one foot in front of the other,” said Greg.
“While you are heading towards the summit there are people coming back down on stretchers. But when you reach the top it is amazing and makes all the effort worthwhile.”
Greg said visiting a school which had been funded by last year’s expedition had also been a motivator.
“We met the children who had just got their new uniforms.”
