Lynne scales new heights with latest charity target

Published on Tuesday 22 September 2009 09:50

SHE has trekked across the Sahara dessert, tackled the Himalayas and faced her fear of heights by taking part in three 120ft-high zip slides.

But thrill-seeking fundraiser Lynne McNicoll is not content with her previous feats – and has just unveiled her latest challenge.

This time, the Teenage Cancer Trust's Scottish ambassador is going to tackle Africa's highest mountain, the 5,895m Mount Kilimanjaro in north-eastern Tanzania, to raise vital funds for the charity.

She is currently trying to enlist a team of up to 20 people to join her on the trek, scheduled for the spring of 2011.

She plans to spend next year training for the tough trek, and hopes to raise 100,000.

Mrs McNicoll, 52, said: "It's another personal challenge for me.

"It will get me fit and will raise money. I hope that each person will raise around 4,500.

"I will pay my way so that every penny raised will go to the charity.

"I've trekked across the Sahara and the Himalayas and doing Kilimanjaro is the next stage.

"This is going to be the hardest and I will have to spend next year training to get into shape for it because we will all have to be very fit."

Mrs McNicoll, from Craiglockhart, has spent the past few months planning her current campaign challenge – to raise 100,000 during the month of September.

With just over a week left, she has raised a total of 60,000 and is confident that money promised from future events will bring her up to the target.

The public and local businesses have come out in their droves to help Mrs McNicoll to reach her target, organising everything from dress-down days to sponsored cycle rides.

Mrs McNicoll also organised a zip slide across Inverleith park this month, which saw her mother, Helen Murray, take part to celebrate her 80th birthday.

Erskine Stewart's Melville Junior School has also organised for the Drifters to return to play at its Performing Arts Centre on 1 November and the money raised for that will also go into the 100,000 challenge pot.

Mrs McNicoll

said: "People are still coming on board and organising to do things for this. Some couldn't physically do them in September and so are putting events on later this year, but they've been inspired by the September challenge.

"For me, everything in September has been about this – even when I'm sleeping I'm dreaming about it, and I'm confident we will get there.

"It really has been a tremendous month."

All money raised will go towards building a new cancer unit for teenagers at the Western General Hospital.

A temporary unit at the Sick Kids hospital in Sciennes is now up and running and will be officially opened next month.