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Crown Oil Team to Scale Kilimanjaro for Children’s Charity MedEquip4Kids

An eight man team at Crown Oil are in intensive training in preparation to climb Kilimanjaro, to raise money for the charity MedEquip4Kids. The company are supporting the project so that every penny raised in sponsorship will go to the charity. Flying out on September 14 and returning on the September 25, the team will climb the mountain via the 56km Lemosho route to reach the 5895 metre (19341ft) summit.

MedEquip4Kids provides special equipment and facilities for neo-natal units, children’s wards, maternity units and children’s outpatient departments. Recent projects have ranged from the supply of defibrillators and the support of clown doctors to the equipping of a multisensory room. “Our work is about improving children’s healthcare, this often means helping to take some of the anxiety out of hospital visits and treatment,” explained Ghazala Baig, deputy director at MedEquip4Kids.

“We hope to raise at least £10,000, though it would be better if we could smash this target rather than just limp over the line,” explained trek coordinator Terry Day. “The team are combining gym work with hiking trips to the Lakes and Snowdonia at weekends to get used to the climbing and build endurance.”

Supporters can follow the team at http://www.crown-oil.blogspot.com/ and make donations at http://www.justgiving.com/Crown-Oil where there is also an update on the group’s progress.

More Information

Mark Andrews, Group General Manager, Crown Oil UK
Tel. +44 (0)845 130 9777 Fax. +44 (0)845 130 9888
E-mail: mark@crownoil.co.uk Web: www.crownoiluk.com
Crown Oil UK, The Oil Centre, Bury New Road, Heap Bridge, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 7HY, UK

Release issued: July 8, 2011

Key Facts for Editors

MedEquip4Kids (ME4K)

ME4K is a charity dedicated to making children safer, more comfortable and happier when undergoing medical treatment. The charity makes direct donations to support projects. This can involve the supply of complex and expensive life saving equipment such as incubators and defibrillators or helping set up simple schemes like a mother’s milk bank to allow families with small babies to help each other. Last year the charity raised £700,000 and supported 43 projects.

Crown Oil

Established over 65 years ago, Crown Oil is a major North West based distributor of fuel and lubricants to industry. The company also specialise in meeting the needs of national construction contractors. All fuel used by the company in making deliveries are carbon offset – reflecting their strong environmental ethos. Crown offer a totally carbon offset product for construction site plant and a totally sustainable bio fuel for combined heat and power (CHP) applications that qualifies all the energy produced as carbon neutral.

The Crown Oil Kilimanjaro Team

Matt Greensmith (37), managing director. Matt has been up Ben Nevis a couple of times, but nothing on this scale. His motivation comes from his daughter Ruby (4) who was born with heart problems and who spent a lot of time visiting hospital in the early years. “It means a lot to be giving something back for all the other poorly kids,” Matt commented. Excited or apprehensive? “At this time 9/10 apprehensive and 11/10 excited.”

Adrian Greenhalgh (43), finance director. Adrian has no previous trekking experience and has a preference for taxis. Adrian’s motivation is to prove to himself and his family that he can do it. His 15 year old son is planning to climb Meru in Tanzania next year and Adrian hopes that this will be an opportunity for some joint training. Excited or apprehensive? “At this time 9/10 apprehensive and 1/10 excited, but expecting these to reverse position as the time to go nears.”

Mark Andrews (34), general manager. Mark admits to no previous trekking experience. As a dad he is keen to help other children, but also admits that his competitive instinct is driving him to put everything he can into the project. “I’m feeling much more apprehensive than excited at this time but expect the excitement to build as we get closer to the climb.”

Terry Day (33), management accountant. Terry has taken the role of trek coordinator being a keen weekend fell walker with many summits to his name. His motivation comes from the fact that he has never done anything of this scale before. “I am much more excited than apprehensive about this project, but I am aware that altitude sickness has no respect for age, fitness and training so I will just have to see how it goes,” he commented.

Paul White (48), national accounts manager. Paul has been walking in the UK hills and mountains for about 30 years. He has wanted to do Kilimanjaro for many years and was inspired by the Red Nose Day Trek a couple of years ago. Excited or apprehensive? “At this time 11/10 apprehensive and 9/10 excited."

Paul Butterworth (37), head of blending. Paul is familiar with UK fells and mountains; he sees this as an opportunity of a lifetime and feels much more excited than apprehensive as the project progresses.

Andy and Carl Keggin both used to work for Crown and now operate as contractors on occasional projects for the company. “It’s good to be back with the old team, we are about 50/50 on the excitement and anxiety stakes, but it feels great to be doing something for kids,” Carl commented.

The Expedition

The Lemosho route is the longest and most remote route to Kilimanjaro. This will give the team the best possible chance to acclimatize to the altitude before the final assault on the mountain.

Starting in the tropical glades of Lemosho, where there are elephant, buffalo and other game, the route will travel through heath, moor and into arctic conditions before the final ascent past the snow rimmed crater of the extinct volcano to the harsh and barren summit at Uhuru Peak.

The team will have professional support from Peak Planet and accommodation will be in tents.

Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is a Swahili name meaning ‘white or shining mountain’. An extinct volcano, Kilimanjaro stands proud of the plain in northern Tanzania making it one of the most prominent summits in the world. It is the highest mountain in Africa at 5895m (19341 ft).

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Back left: Ghazala Baig (ME4K), Mark Andrews, Pip (ME4K Mascot), Matthew Greensmith, Paul White, Paul Butterworth, Vicky Bunnage (ME4K). Front left: Terry Day, Adrian Greenhalgh, Carl Keggin.

MedEquip4Kids provides special equipment and facilities for neo-natal units, children’s wards, maternity units and children’s outpatient departments.

The Crown Oil team carefully plan their route, aiming to raise at least £10,000 for the MedEquip4Kids charity.

Building endurance, the Crown Oil team will be combining gym work with hiking trips to the Lakes and Snowdonia.

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MedEquip4Kids