British Garden Centres’ Libby and Phillippa Stubbs have successfully reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro as part of a fundraising expedition for Greenfingers Charity, with the pair now making a final appeal to the horticulture industry to help achieve a £50,000 fundraising target.
The mother-and-daughter team were among 23 horticultural industry professionals who completed the seven-day trek via the Lemosho Route, climbing to Uhuru Peak at 5,895 metres after navigating rainforest, alpine desert and sub-zero temperatures.
Libby and Phillippa Stubbs making the final push up the mountain.
Funds raised from the challenge will go towards creating the Kilimanjaro Garden at Naomi House & Jacksplace Hospice in Winchester, transforming an existing paved area into a fully accessible sensory garden for children and young adults with life-limiting conditions and their families.
The challenge also marked a personal milestone for Phillippa Stubbs, Director at British Garden Centres, who completed the climb to celebrate her 50th birthday.
Phillippa Stubbs said: “This mountain threw everything at us from altitude, exhaustion, freezing temperatures in the middle of the night. But none of that compares to what the families at Naomi House face every single day.
“If we can give them somewhere beautiful to breathe, somewhere peaceful to just be together, then every blister was worth it. This was a challenge to celebrate my 50th birthday and standing on that summit as the sun came up, I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Now we just need to finish what we started and get this garden built and change lives for the children and their families in the hospice.”
Libby Stubbs, Events Manager at British Garden Centres, added: “When you’re exhausted and struggling to breathe at 5,000 metres in the dark, you think about why you’re there. We were there for children who don’t get to choose their challenges.
“The mountain was brutal, but it also put everything into perspective. We get to go home and recover. The families at Naomi House don’t have that luxury. If this garden gives them one moment of peace, every step was worth it.”
The fundraising effort has been supported by Smart Garden Products, Westland Horticulture, Troo and Sylvester Keal, which sponsored the challenge.
The pair are now encouraging colleagues and businesses across the garden and home improvement sectors to help push the campaign over its £50,000 target, with donations helping Greenfingers Charity create therapeutic outdoor spaces at children’s hospices across the UK.
You can help the pair reach their fundraising target by donating to their JustGiving page – CLICK HERE
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