The founder of a charity which helps financial and pastoral assistance to Exmouth pupils is to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

A CHARITABLE woman is lacing up her walking boots in preparation of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for an Exmouth-based organisation.

Mandy Parker, chair of trustees for The Magnolia Incentive charity, will head off to Tanzania next week for the trek up Africa’s highest mountain.

She hopes to raise more than �10,000 from the climb and is appealing to people to lend their support.

The Magnolia Incentive, founded in 2004, provides financial and pastoral assistance to Exmouth Community College pupils as they pursue their higher education studies.

An excited Mandy said she had already received a generous offer from one sponsor who pledged to double whatever she managed to raise.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to bring in some serious funds for ‘my kids’ at ECC,” she said.

“I am trying to raise �1 for every metre I climb. I’m climbing 5895m so I have the opportunity to raise �5895 which will be doubled to �11,790.”

Addressing the financial difficulties that often surround further education, so far the charity has offered assistance to more than 25 pupils by providing grants of around �5,000.

Mandy added: “We believe strongly in the merits of education and the nurturing of the potential of young people to fulfil their dreams and aspirations and, ultimately, to make a difference to themselves and society.”

The charity provides pastoral guidance through a network of individuals who form a mentor panel.

Results indicate that those who have participated in the scheme have benefited greatly from their experience of working with dedicated mentors.

Most believe that the grade attained on completion of their course was higher than that estimated to have been achievable without the charity’s assistance.

If you would like to sponsor Mandy visit her JustGiving website page at the following address: http://www.justgiving.com/Mandy-Parker1969.