Group of 24 Orangemen make it to top of Kilimanjaro on charity hike which has raised more than £250,000

It was a journey that spanned two years, involved a great deal of planning and preparation, and most importantly of all has been responsible for raising more than a quarter of a million pounds for children’s cancer charities.

They were inundated with congratulations including a large pat on the back from GOLI Grand Master Edward Stevenson who is keen to meet them when they return home.

The six day trek up the highest mountain in Africa, saw the full group of 24 safely make it to the top at 4.48am (GMT).

Sharing a picture of the hikers, the Hiking For Little Heroes Facebook page wrote: “Well done lads! Everyone back home so proud of you all!”

The team, led by Banbridge Orangeman Stuart Magill and supported by 76 Tanzanians in the roles of chefs, doctors, guides and porters, faced many challenges along the way including a two-hour climb of a 300 metre steep cliff face made from volcanic rock and a night when the winds were so strong that the entire camp got a maximum of three hours sleep.

The Hiking For Little Heroes challenge had been delayed from last year due to Covid, which allowed the group more time to raise more than £250,000 for four charities – Children Cancer Unit at Royal Victoria Hospital, Angel Wishes, Cancer Fund For Children and B Positive – because of their links to Adam Watson, a nine-year-old from Banbridge who passed away in August after a brave battle with leukaemia.

Ahead of the final push Stuart had said: “The morale of the group is still as high as it was from day one, this is one of the biggest reasons for the success of our trip thus far. Confidence is high but no one is underestimating the scale of the challenge that awaits us.”

The Grand Master Most Worshipful Brother Edward Stevenson has congratulated all of the brethren who completed the climb of Mount Kilimanjaro.

He said: “On behalf of myself, the senior officers and all members of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland I offer our congratulations to the brethren who successfully completed their climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in the early hours of this morning.

“I, along with a great many others, have been following their progress in recent days and I am delighted all their hard work has paid off.

“This was no easy task and required an awful lot of planning and preparation, but it has been done with the aim of raising a substantial sum of money for the Children's Cancer Unit and Angel Wishes.

“I look forward to meeting with the brethren in the weeks ahead and hearing more of their experiences on this amazing journey.”

Reacting to the Facebook post which revealed the men had reached the summit, Diana Acott wrote: “What an amazing achievement. Brilliant preparation and training to get you all safely to the summit. Congratulations and what an amazing amount you have all raised along the way.”

Lorraine Boyd Gordon said: “What an achievement. You should all be so so proud of what you have accomplished and the phenomenal amount of money you have raised for such very worthy charities.”