Rise to the challenge

Meet Ben
Ben is a senior manager in audit and assurance based in Guernsey. This September, he is setting off on a 5,895m climb up the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro along with 50 other colleagues. He is raising money for his local charity partner, Mind Guernsey which provides a positive mental health service for the community. His motivation comes from his close friends who have suffered from mental health conditions to varying degrees so this is a great opportunity to raise some funds for a fantastic local charity close to his heart and make a real difference. His other motivation is also to scale the highest mountain in Africa!

I've been walking for 25 years so...what's the worst that could happen?!

Fun fact: Ben loves a challenge – he previously took part in Deloitte Ride Across Britain.

Meet Jenil
Jenil is an assistant manager working in audit and assurance at our Gatwick office. Three years ago she took part in our Charity Challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Now she’s back and ready for a bigger challenge - where she will be taking part in the Stok Kangri expedition which reaches the height of 6,153m in the highlands of northwest India. Her fundraising will go towards the local charity partner in Gatwick, Crawley Open House which provides support and services for those suffering the effects of homelessness, unemployment, loneliness, discrimination or other forms of social exclusion.

Her friend spurred her on to sign up for Stok Kangri by saying In order to make yourself proud, you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone

Fun fact: Jenil is extremely squeamish when it comes to insects so was out of her comfort zone when, during the Mount Kilimanjaro trek, she found herself covered in red ants on the first day!

Meet Debbie
Debbie is an assistant manager in internal client services based in Edinburgh. On 9 September, she sets off on a 73 mile walk from Inverness to Fort William along with 35 colleagues. She returned to work earlier this year after returning from her second maternity leave. She wanted to immerse herself back into the firm professionally and was also looking out for a person challenge so signed up for the Great Glen Way challenge.

Her fundraising will support her local charity partner Children 1^st which helps Scotland's families to put children first, with practical advice and with support in difficult times.

I have been very lucky in that I had a happy childhood and I would like to think my children do too, but many don't. This inspired me to do something.

Fun fact: Debbie has The Greatest Showman soundtrack on her training playlist and plenty of 00's classics that remind her of her university days!

Meet Victoria
Victoria is an assistant director in financial advisory based in London. This September, she’ll be setting off on a 90 mile trek across Namib Desert along with 43 colleagues. She is taking part in the challenge because she hasn’t seen as much of the world and would like to expand her travelling horizons and have an adventure.

Victoria is raising money and awareness for her local charity partner Impetus PEF who work to transform the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by ensuring they get the right support to succeed in school, in work and in life.

Making people aware of what I’m doing inspires me to keep going
Fun fact: She took part in the Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition at school which involved a five-day hike across Snowdonia. She distinctly remembers promising that she would never hike or camp ever again and has kept her promise, until now!