Ross' Trekking Story
Ross Clift works in the Community Fundraising team for Marie Curie and has signed up to trek Mount Kilimanjaro in January 2021.
Here he shares his inspiration, advice and fundraising tips.
What inspired you to sign up for Kilimanjaro, and why did you choose Marie Curie?
I’ve always wanted to take part in an overseas trek, and when Kilimanjaro came up it was the perfect challenge for me. Before I started working for Marie Curie I was a personal trainer, so I knew if people were to sponsor me it would have to be a real challenge, and this certainly is!
Marie Curie has been a cause very close to my heart since my mum was cared for and died at the Marie Curie Hospice, Glasgow, three years ago at the age of just 47. I could never pay back how much that meant to us at the time, but doing a challenge like this and raising money gives me comfort that I am doing my bit to help families like mine.
Have you started your training yet?
I play football and go to the gym so I feel that I have already have a decent level of fitness. But to climb Kilimanjaro I’ll need to make sure I am at the peak of my fitness to enjoy the trek as much as I can! I have done some small hills and mountains in Scotland to get the legs going, and I’ve recently climbed Ben Nevis as training too.
How are you planning on doing your fundraising?
Over the past couple of years I’ve held fundraising evenings for Marie Curie to celebrate the life of my mum. Friends, family and the local community all get involved, and the most recent event raised over £2,800, so I’m more than half way towards the sponsorship target already! There’s still a long way to go, but I’ve got plenty of time to fundraise before we head off on the trek.
Do you have any tips for other people who are worried about fundraising?
- Don’t look at the sponsorship target as a whole, break it down into months and it starts to become a bit more realistic!
- Set up a just giving page and post regular updates of your training journey.
- Always thank someone for their donation.
- You don’t always have to hold big events, you can do lots of smaller things to raise the money like collections, car boot sales, bake sales, or even a smaller event like a quiz night at your local pub.
Do you have any inspirational advice for anyone thinking of taking on a challenge for Marie Curie?
Stop thinking about it and just go for it! The training and fundraising won’t be easy, but just keep reminding yourself about the reason you signed up in the first place, and you’ll soon find the motivation and excitement again. That’s what I do!