Climbing high for Mahdlo

FINALLY there: Frank Rothwell and Ben Ingham reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro

TWO Oldhamers have completed the trek of their life after scaling Mount Kilimanjaro to raise thousands of pounds for the Mahdlo Youth Zone.

Businessmen Frank Rothwell and Ben Ingham climbed 19,336 ft to the summit of Africa’s highest mountain, part of a group of 17 North-West climbers who were raising money for their own local youth centres.

The group spent six days on the mountain, sleeping in tents in freezing weather and surviving on food rations.

Frank - on target to raise over £4,000 from donations from friends and through his business, Manchester Cabins, said: “I enjoyed the experience, I was not as troubled by the altitude sickness as some of the other climbers, but I was getting sick of eating pasta and rice in a draughty tent!

“I couldn’t wait to get home to some proper food, read the Chron and catch up on Corrie.”

Frank, the oldest climber in the group, prepared for the challenge by training on mountains in Wales - and at Pots and Pans in Greenfield.

Ben, the education and community lead at Safeguard Group in Chadderton, trained alongside Frank and lost two stone in the process.

“I was so determined to help Mahdlo and have been delighted at the response to my appeals for support and donations.”

Ben has so far received donations of more than £1,600 but expects to top £3,000.


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