Montrose man leaves for Mount Kenya trek

Jamie Kinghorn from Montrose leaves for Mount Kenya today to raise money for Save the Children.

Trek for Kids is a joint initiative between the charity and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Jamie, 43, is one of 40 GSK employees from around the world to take part, and the group has already met its £250,000 goal.

Tasked with raising £4,000 each, Jamie met his target through a range of activities such as raffles, cake sales, pub quizzes and selling spaces on the T-shirts that he will be climbing Mount Kenya in.

With a final cake sale at work just two days before leaving for Kenya, Jamie reached £8,000, double his original target.

He has also been training for the hike to the 5,000-metre summit by climbing the mountains of Scotland, including Mount Keen in Angus and Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest point.

During Jamie’s time in Kenya, he will visit Bungoma County, in the north west of the country.

This is where he will learn more about the programme being delivered by GSK and Save the Children and how it is helping to reduce maternal and newborn mortality by increasing access to quality health systems and services.

Jamie said: “I feel really lucky to have this amazing landscape so close to where I live on the east coast of Scotland — it’s been the perfect training ground for me.”

Jamie Kinghorn leaves today for his Kenyan adventure.