Laura will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at the end of September as part of a fundraising challenge to support the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC). As the date of the trek nears, Laura shares her thoughts.
What made you choose to take on this challenge?
I wanted to challenge myself to try something different for my 30th Birthday. I chose this event because it also gave me an opportunity to raise money for charity. I think the Electrical Industries Charity does some important work, and it’s important to me that I contribute to helping others in the industry.
What kind of work does the charity do?
They support people who work in the electrical industry and their families. The biggest amount of support is in mental health. They offer help with advice and legal fees to those who have been involved in work-place accidents.
In what ways are you raising money towards your goal?
I’ve organised various events to raised money towards my goal, including a darts competition, a raffle to win a duvet day, and a cycle challenge, where the Kingfisher team cycled the height of Kilimanjaro, and a few games.
This is not a small undertaking, what are you doing to prepare?
I see a personal trainer three times a week, and I’ve been given a 14-week training plan from the event organisers. It’s very intense; I get up at 4am every day to train before work, usually I’ve walked 7.5 miles by 10:30am.
I’ve already got all the equipment and made sure I have everything that I’m going to need. The main thing to do now is prepare myself physically and mentally.
Have you reached your fundraising goals yet, and do you have any events/plans to raise extra money before you go?
I was aiming for a £5000 target, and at the minute we are just over this, which I’m really happy about. I will continue to fundraise until the date I leave. I want to raise as much as possible.
What are you expecting to be the most difficult part?
The difference in temperature is definitely going to be challenging. At the bottom, it’s around 34 degrees, but at the top, it will be around -15 degrees. This combined with the altitude is going to be difficult both physically and mentally.
What do you think will be the first thing you do when you get home?
To be honest, I think I’ll just have a bath. I’ll be going 8 days without one.
Is there anything else you want to add?
Yes, I want to say a quick thank you to everyone who has supported me and donated.
To donate please visit https://electricalcharity.enthuse.com/pf/laura-coakley
To find out more about what the Electrical Industry Charity do, please visit https://electricalcharity.enthuse.com/cf/mount-kilimanjaro
