Members and staff from a Norwich gym set to climb Kilimanjaro

A group made up of staff and members from a Norwich gym are planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for charity.

Personal trainer at Carrefour Health Club Leon Bestin and gym regulars Nicola Jarvis and Michaela Clemence are due to commence the climb on August 20 this year and are also hoping to sign a few more people up to join them.

They plan to scale the summit in six days in an effort to raise �2,500 each for the charity Childreach International through the charity's Climb Kilimanjaro 4 Kids.

Mr Bestin, of Wortham Close, Cloverhill, Bowthorpe said: 'The charity is a good one, they have a lot that you can do, but the Kili climb was the most appealing to me personally.

'Kilimanjaro is a well known mountain, and with the celebrities scaling it last year it's one that people are interested in.'

The trip will include a border crossing from Nairobi to Tanzania and a seven hour trek through rainforest and the Kilimanjaro National Park before a drive to the foot of the mountain to set up base camp.

The full ascent will mean seven hours trekking each day, with a final two hour trek on the last night to reach the peak to watch the sunrise. Carrefour Health Club at Costessey is supporting the trek by allowing the group to train on the equipment for free and use the gym for fundraising events.

Mr Bestin emphasised the value of Childreach International's projects in Africa: 'Africa and Africa's problems are all over the television all the time. People in Africa are looking for a good start and I think it's especially important that children get a good start. Childreach recognises this need and so do I.'

You can make a donation online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving. For more information on this event and others go to childreach.org.uk or call 0203 137 5500.

Are you raising funds for charity? Email the newsdesk at eveningnews@archant.co.uk or call 01603 772438.