Date - Tuesday 1 June 2010

12 intrepid individuals have choosen to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro and are hoping to raise a minimum of £4,200.00 each to help fund the outfit of the new Sparkle Appeal Centre.

Mountain mission!

A TEAM of brave fundraisers are preparing for the trek of a lifetime to help raise much-needed funds for the Argus-backed Sparkle Appeal.

The group will set off for Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro on June 30 trekking through glades and valleys in aid of the charity to help it succeed in its mission to provide a fully-equipped centre designed to meet the needs of over 1,200 children with complex disabilities in the Gwent.

The team has been working hard over the past few months raising money through bag-packing, parties and jumble sales, whilst also getting fit for the gruelling challenge.

Those taking part include, Leah Givvons, 26, whose two-year-old sister Darcie, has Downs Syndrome.

Darcie is just one of the children who will benefit from the new facility at High Cross, which should be open by January.

Fundraising to equip the centre with a hydrotherapy pool, gymnasium, cinema and therapy rooms, is on target but a final £750,000 is still needed.

Those pictured include:

Gill Watkins, Ellen Gilbert, Carl Winters, Faith Husband, Ben Pritchard-Jones,
Alison Hazeldine, Martin Gerrard, Caroline Bird and Leah Givvons.

Missing were: Sam O'sullivan, Paul Jones and Catherine Pritchard.