A group of fundraising London Cabbies have successfully completed their challenge to climb Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro back-to-back
There were two parts to the cabbies ambitious fundraising challenge to raise money for the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children and an Orphanage in Tanzania. Firstly, London Cab drivers Daren Parr and John Dillane flew to Tanzania with videographer Tim King to climb Mount Meru and were then joined by six more cab drivers who together attempted to climb Africa’s highest peak Kilimanjaro.
London Cab Driver Daren Parr, said, “Mount Meru was definitely more challenging than we expected. The weather during our ascent was atrocious. We had climbed Kilimanjaro in 2019 but Mount Meru was a different mountain. At one stage we were battered by torrential rain clinging on to chains with a deep drop at the side of us and I can honestly say I have never been so frightened in my whole life.”
Once the cabbies were back from summitting Meru, they enjoyed just one night in the luxury of a hotel bed before they set off on the weeklong trek up Kilimanjaro. Joining them on this climb were fellow cab drivers Lyndsey, Bob, Gary, Sarah, Stuart, and Stella. Everyone suffered from altitude sickness but all bar one of the intrepid cabbies reached the summit with their professional guide Jonas and a team of twenty porters.
London Cab Driver John Dillane, said, “Having the rest of the team arrive gave our flagging bodies and spirits a huge lift as we set off on the six day Machame route to Uhuru peak. Any thoughts of acclimatisation gained by the Meru climb were dismissed on Kili summit night as my body reacted badly above 5000 meters. The final two and a half hours were torturous as I struggled up like a boxer whose legs had gone.”
With the mission accomplished, Daren and John have returned to England and are back in their cabs, while their teammates have enjoyed a safari and a few days on the beach in Zanzibar.
Michael Son, Chairman, London Taxi Drivers’ Charity For Children, said, “We are so proud of the Cabbies do Kilimanjaro team. They have raised much needed money for the special needs and disadvantaged children our charity supports, and we can’t thank them enough for choosing us.”
Money raised from the Cabbies Do Kilimanjaro 2022 challenge to climb Meru and Kilimanjaro will support the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children and the Uhuru Orphanage in Tanzania. Donations can be made via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/daren-parr1
About Cabbies do Kilimanjaro
After successfully raising £18,000 for The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans in 2019 by losing 12 stones in weight, getting fit and climbing Kilimanjaro, two of the original ‘Cabbies Do Kilimanjaro’ fundraising group, Daren Parr and John Dillane, put together a much bigger challenge for 2020.
Sadly, the 2020 plans for Daren and John to climb 4,562 metre Mount Meru before being joined by a group of London cab drivers to climb 5,895 metres to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro were put on hold for two years until the pandemic restrictions were lifted.
The Cabbies Do Kilimanjaro team finally travelled to Tanzania in February 2022 some eighteen months later than originally planned and hope that their successful challenge will raise £7,500 for the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children and £2,500 for a children’s orphanage in Tanzania.
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About London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children
The London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children arranges days out in the UK, for special needs and disadvantaged children and provides funding to support children who need recreational, technology and mobility equipment.
Founded in 1928, the charity is funded totally through donations and supported by an amazing group of volunteer London Taxi Drivers who give up their time to take the children and their carers on day trips.
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall is Patron.
About the Uhuru Orphanage
The Uhuru orphanage is on the outskirts of Arusha and is home to 33 children. The land the Orphanage is built on has been sold and they need to raise $15,000 to secure new land for a permanent home.
