Van Elle are proud to sponsor Derby man, Peter Swaile in his attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for the charity Bridge2Aid.

Bridge2Aid is a charity operating in the Mwanza region of North West Tanzania, working closely with the Tanzanian Government to deliver dental care, training and education to the various communities throughout the area.

They are committed to developing programmes and strategies that meet the felt needs of indigenous groups in a long-term and sustainable way, empowering the Tanzanian communities – hence the name ‘Bridge2Aid’.

Many people in the third world countries suffer from basic oral health problems unnecessarily. Imagine if you couldn’t get a decaying tooth removed, or a filling and had to live with the pain daily, as well as any associated illnesses caused by the problem. In the UK we have roughly one dentist to every 2,100 people, in Tanzania the ratio is one dentist to every 300,000!

For more information about Bridge2Aid, to donate or take part in an exciting expedition visit www.bridge2aid.org

Although Peter is a personal trainer he will find the expedition a physical and mental challenge. He hopes to raise £2,800 for Bridge2Aid and explains his reasons for taking up the expedition,

“There were two reasons why I wanted to do this, the challenge was really appealing and Bridge2Aid is a great charity. It just seemed like a no-brainer. I’m in training at the moment, doing lots of hill walking Northumberland and the Lakes. It’s the altitude I can’t prepare for. At 5895m I’m just going to have to acclimatise when I get there. My main goal is to reach the summit – even if someone drags me up!”

The Kilimanjaro expedition began on 7th September 2007.  Check back soon to see how Peter did on the trip.