19 Feb 2026
A gruelling trek up Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro has been completed by a team of St Albans business leaders raising much-needed funds for local charity Youth Talk.
Their five day trek involved seven to 12 hours of walking every day using the Machame Route, with the last day of the ascent a torchlit nightwalk to the summit, which stands at 5,995 metres (19,341ft).
The group of 24 includes Amthal’s Paul and Amanda Rosenthal, former Rumball Sedgewick owner and ex-Chamber of Commerce President Alistair Woodgate, Youth Talk’s fundraising and partnerships manager Jim Lewis, marketing consultant Carol Twidell, property manager Justin Deans, and co-founder of BUNKUM Rum Alfie Jourdan.
A breathless Alistair said from the summit: “I’m just ecstatic to be here. What a brilliant, brilliant occasion this has been. The last five days have been mentally exhausting, physically challenging, but it’s so worth it.
“We’ve been raising money for a brilliant charity and to be standing here on the top of Kilimanjaro – the world’s tallest freestanding mountain – what a feeling!
“It’s just fabulous and I want to say a huge thank you to Discover Adventures, to everybody at Asante Tours, to the porters who have just been superb all the way through.
“It’s just been the most fantastic time, a memory I’m going to treasure forever and ever.”
The group’s efforts will support Youth Talk’s mission to offer free, confidential face to face counselling for 13-25 year olds in the St Albans district, and they have already raised more than £44,000 towards their £50,000 target. You can still donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/team/trek-kilimanjaro-2026
