Dalton & Joycey at Box Hill

On Sunday Sicknote and Major Major Major had a good 6.5 hours (5 hours hard grind walking) on Box Hill  while everyone else was in the Lake District. MMM is not normally one to sit on the fence so its an unusual photo.

First step: conquer Old Man of Coniston

At -5C and in 70mph winds Phil, Mike, Darren & Nick reached the summit of Old Man of Coniston on Saturday 28 March. At 801m it's a little less than Kilimanjaro but it was a great test of kit a preparedness for us. The main goal of the day was 'Cumberland Tattie Hot Pot' in the Church House Inn at Torver in the evening. Thank you for a super evening. We now have to return for the Goats Cheese Souffle!

Sicknote TEST

Just checking I've set this up ok.

Captains log: stardate 27 March 2009

Four eagles landed at Lake Coniston and commenced a soaring recci of the mountains. Darren, Mike, Phil and Nick are spending the weekend in the Lake District doing some mountain walking and kit trials prior to trip in a few days time. The outlook for Saturday is -5deg C and 40mph wind so should be good prep for Kilimanjaro. Preparatory talks about Saturdays expedition have started in the pub and, strangely, the proposal is becoming every more outrageous as the evening cintonews.............

Team photos at Shooting Star

On the evening of Monday 23 March we all met at Shooting Star in Hampton to collect the kit that Regatta had generously donated to us. It was also an opportunity to swap stories about kit and realise the lengths that some people will go to make a list...Nick. Joycey is after kipping out on the summit judging by his sleeping bag spec. Dalt is eschewing fashion for comfort in his snood. Darren has enough altitude pills to use a small change and Mike (Biggles) Grieveson looks as if he going to pilot the plane in his goggles.

And if you thought we all must be mad for embarking on such an adventure a glance at the second photo will prove you right!

(Two weeks tonight we will be landing at Kilimanjaro International airport. (thanks Mike)

We fly out three weeks today

Only three weeks to go and most of us are spending our non-working, waking hours engaged on sponsorship, kit preparation and training. The recent rise in sponsorship is a real boost to us and we thank all of you who have contributed so generously to both Shooting star and Maliaka-kids. As for the training, if we were grand pianos we would be tuned almost to concert pitch..........or maybe there is a little more tuning to go in the last weeks!

We hope that you like the photo. The logo will be printed on our jackets.

Training update

At the end of March we will be doing some serious trekking in the Lake District. In addition it will be a good opportunity for a clothing and equipment check before we go to Tanzania a week later.

Team Shooting Star Kilimanjaro challenge

In April, as a team of six, we will making an attempt on the summit of Kilimanjaro in aid of two children’s charities, the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice in West London and Malaika-kids in Tanzania. At over 19,000ft it will be no small effort. You may have seen the celebs climb it recently for Red Nose day and recognise the mental and physical endurance required. For our part we have met the children at Shooting Star and have tried to understand the mental and physical mountains they have to climb every day. When we begin to face challenges on the mountain, as surely we will, we will be minded of their courage.

Two things will help us conquer Kilimanjaro;

• firstly, your generosity: we have targeted £25,000 to fund a paediatric nurse for a year and still have someway to go
• secondly, the thought of the children that we will be helping.

Many of you have already generously pledged or donated money for which we add, again, a huge thank you. Your continued generosity is a boost, every day, to our training and preparation.


If you wish to sponsor us it is really easy. Simply visit our team event-dedicated website www.TeamShootingStar.co.uk .

We leave for Africa on 7 April so it is getting very close. Every penny really does count and can make a difference to the children and families that Shooting Star support.

Thank you so much for your interest in the expedition and we urge you to be as generous as you can be.

And please return to this blog to see the progress of our preparation and the challenge itself.