A LOST HAT AND A CLIMB UP KILIMANJARO

Having lost her hat at Hanchurch Woods, and seeing people in our famous PAU bobble hats, Fiona saw an opportunity, and, in her words, made a cheeky ask, to see if there was something we could do. She asked for a hat, and we gave her a sponsorship. This is Fiona’s story and why she is climbing Kilimanjaro…

Fiona Ratic is one of the founding volunteers of our Trentham parkrun, showing up week in, week out to run, scan, welcome, cheer, and everything in between. She’s a runner, she’s ran ultras, but she has never climbed a mountain like this, and she is doing it all for Hope4.

It started with a LinkedIn post from Lea Turner, saying that she was climbing Kilimanjaro with the founder of Hope4, and she shared about the amazing work that they do. Fiona read the post word for word, not the usual scan reading that we’re used to, and took the whole thing in. She decided to sleep on it, but there was something inside of her trying to speak. 

Bolt upright, in the night, she knew she had to do it, too. 

Quote from Fiona- 

“I’m lucky enough to be able to keep my two kids warm and switch on my heating and hot water from an app on my phone, as well as keeping them happy and fed. Some of these children don’t have access to hot water, they’re struggling with a tiny amount of money, trying to keep warm and only having sandals to wear. There’s no heating, no fridges, some even without electricity, and I can’t imagine how it feels as a parent not being able to keep your children safe and warm. That’s why I knew I needed to do it.”

She signed up, got her place booked, and set up her fundraiser, and that’s how this partnership between Fiona and PAU was born. 

Quote from Paul Ball, Founder of PAU – 

“It is a community, it’s not a shop or a run, we want to bring people together. Fi has been a part of this from day one, so to give something back to her and something that is important to her just makes sense, and we’re proud to support her as a team. We’re particularly excited to see the PAU bobble hat and flag at the summit, and Fi too, of course!”

Quote from Fiona – 

“When you’re in a running community or an active community like the Trentham parkrun and PAU, there is an unsaid connection. You are just with your people, if you know what I mean? It unites you, and having this and the cafe here really creates that feeling of community, the athlete events, the gatherings, it is really just amazing to have this space and group of people brought together through running and cycling.“

The climb is a seven day event, involving some of the most gruelling conditions and air temperatures that can feel as low as -18 Degrees Celsius in the evening. Combine this with intense movement, altitude sickness, and mentally taxing days and nights, it makes for an unimaginable challenge, but one that Fiona maintains is out of her comfort zone, but nowhere near the challenges faced by those families. 

Quote from Fiona – 

“That is my superpower. That is why I am doing it, and it is why we’re all doing it. We will need something to focus on when it feels tough, and this is that one thing. I am a mum, and the thought of those children will power me through, I know it will.”

We will be catching up with Fiona along the way, and sitting down for a cuppa when she gets back to hear about the climb, poo ponchos and all. If you want to find out more and donate to help support the children that Hope4 works with, click the link below.

Quote from Fiona – 

“If I can inspire one person to do something out of their comfort zone as a result of this, that feels like a job done as well. It’s two fold, I am an ordinary girl, if I can do something outside of my comfort zone, we all can, whatever that looks like for you.“

Oh, and she is working up to being a Run Director at parkrun, so we reckon she will be up to the challenge after this. 

Hope4

Hope4 supports tens of thousands of refugees, and those impacted by natural disasters across Europe from our base in the UK and Moldova, Europe’s poorest country.