Two mental health care workers are hoping to raise �5,000 and gain an understanding of some of the troubles their residents suffer when they climb Africa's highest peak later this year.

Norfolk charity Break's Ashcroft residential home in Wicklewood, near Wymondham, supports women with enduring mental health needs to help them move on with their lives.

Deputy manager Sue Hampson and her colleague, support worker Dee Jack, are in training to climb Kilimanjaro in October, to raise funds for their unit.

Sue, 43, from Hainford, is a mother-of-two and has worked for Break for just over a year-and-a-half and Dee, 49, from Wymondham, and also a mother-of-two, has been at Break for three years.

Both wanted to promote Ashcroft as an almost unique service.

It is one of only two units in the country to provide a women's only service staffed by women.

At 5,895m high Kilimanjaro will probably give Sue and Dee altitude sickness during their climb, but that is part of why the pair wanted to do it.

Sue said: 'A lot of the ladies here suffer from anxiety and the thinking behind the climb is to try and give us an idea of what it is like for them.

'The company that we are doing it with are also doing this on Mental Health Day (Monday, October 10), so we thought that made sense as well.'

Ashcroft have also raised �75 at a coffee morning to sponsor a woman from a refuge in the Tanzanian village of Moshi, at the foot of Kilimanjaro, which protects women from violent crime and HIV positive women, where Sue and Dee will visit.

This Friday an entertainment evening is being held at The Talk on Oak Street, Norwich to raise funds for Ashcroft.

Comedian and impressionist Ivan Tilman will compere the evening, with music from Telecaster Ted Band, Loose Change and James Summerhill.

Tickets are available at The Talk and from Dee on 07701 044254 or Sue on 07595 534015, costing �10 each or two for �15.

The event startis at 8pm and finishes at midnight.

This is followed by a Ceilidh Gaelic dance evening on Saturday, June 25 at Horsford Village Hall, between 7.30pm and 11pm, with Norfolk folk group Barleymow.

Tickets are �7 for adults and �3.50 for children from either Sue on 07595 534015, Dee on 07701 044254 or Mary on 01603 897841.

Sponsor the ladies at www.justgiving.com/susan-hampson0

Are you planning a big charity event? Contact reporter David Freezer on 01603 772418 or email david.freezer@archant.co.uk