Portrush man Marcus to tackle Kilimanjaro for Air Ambulance in memory of his mother Joan Christie
The late Lord Lieutenant of Antrim, Joan Christie CVO OBE, would have celebrated her 80th birthday this summer.
To honour her memory, son Marcus brought together almost 200 of her friends, family and the community in a glittering gala ball held in the Royal Court Hotel in Portrush, which has raised £10,000 for local charity, Air Ambulance NI.
Since his mother's passing, the Portrush man has become a dedicated supporter of Air Ambulance NI. In just 90 days, he will embark on a new challenge: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, standing at 5,895 metres.
The climb, set for October, is expected to take six days.
Marcus said: “Fundraising for Air Ambulance NI is important for me to keep mum’s memory alive and if I can help a future patient it is all worthwhile.
"Last summer I did the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in just over 21 hours, and the gala was an opportunity to bring family and friends together.
"Everyone has been fantastic in sponsoring, donating prizes and making donations, I’m very grateful. For Kilimanjaro I’ll certainly be pushing the limits physically and mentally, but I’m focusing on the sense of achievement at the top.”
Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising at Air Ambulance NI said: “Kilimanjaro is one of the most challenging charity treks at altitude but Marcus is very determined, when he decides to take something on he doesn’t do it by halves!
“Last year he raised over £20,000 from the three peaks and the recent gala has been another huge success, we are all confident he will reach the summit.”
Donate to Marcus’ fundraiser at JustGiving.