Welsh business leaders summit Kilimanjaro on St David’s Day, raising £125k for The King’s Trust

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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Welsh business leaders have successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro on St David’s Day, raising more than £125,000 for the youth charity The King’s Trust in Wales during its 50th anniversary year.

The group, made up of senior business figures and supporters of the charity, reached the summit of Africa’s highest peak on 1 March after a five-day climb in difficult weather conditions.

The expedition was led by Richard Selby, Chair of The King’s Trust Wales Development Committee, and Sarah Jones, Director of The King’s Trust in Wales.

All members of the group funded the trek themselves, meaning the £125,000 raised will go directly towards supporting young people across Wales into education, employment, training or starting their own businesses.

Richard Selby said, “We set out to reach the summit on St David’s Day and the team delivered.

“It was a tough climb in difficult conditions, but everyone kept going and we made it to the top together.

“Most importantly, the funds raised will help The King’s Trust continue supporting young people across Wales into work, education and training.”

The money raised will support programmes run by The King’s Trust that help young people facing barriers to employment develop skills, confidence and work opportunities.

One example is David, a 21-year-old from Cardiff, who joined the charity’s Get into Construction programme while balancing caring responsibilities for his mother, who suffers from sickle cell disease.

Before joining the programme, David had struggled to find stable work.

Through the initiative he received practical training and industry qualifications, including his Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) licence. He now works in the construction sector while studying criminology at university.

Sarah Jones said, “Taking on this challenge together was a powerful way to mark The King’s Trust’s 50th anniversary year. It reflects the determination and resilience we see in the young people across Wales.

“Stories like David’s show the difference the right support can make at the right time.

“The funds raised through this challenge will help us continue backing young people to gain skills, build confidence and move forward into brighter futures.”

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