#KiliTax2022 in aid of the Tax Charities
A group of people connected to tax (aren’t we all!) are taking on the incredible challenge of going up Mount Kilimanjaro in September 2022, to raise vital money for the tax charities – after two years of Covid-induced delays.
You can sponsor:
- the group at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/KiliTax2022-Team; or
- a team member at: https://www.justgiving.com/team/KiliTax2020 – click on the ‘Donate to a team member’ button.
Our group of dedicated tax professionals (mostly current or retired CIOT members) and friends have signed up to complete the #KiliTax2022 sponsored challenge to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro, in aid of the two UK tax charities, TaxAid and Tax Help for Older People. The sponsorship money will go to the charities’ Bridge the Gap campaign (BTG), which is split equally between the two tax charities.
The two tax charities are the only UK charities dedicated to providing free tax advice to vulnerable people on low incomes who need help to cope with the UK tax system and yet cannot afford to pay for the help they need. TaxAid also supports two new UK university clinics, which are beginning to make impressive inroads into supporting people in their local communities with tax issues.
Those taxpayers seeking help from the charities tend to be at the most disadvantaged end of unrepresented taxpayers on low incomes. Their need for such pro bono help has grown significantly since the charities’ formation, due to changes in how people earn income and its tax treatment and due to the impact of Covid and the current cost of living crisis.
Due to the charities need for more resources, the intrepid group of volunteers have set themselves the challenging target of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and raising £34,000 – £2 for every foot the team climbs. With its peak of almost 6,000m, it is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest self-standing mountain in the world. They will be supported by Action Challenge, walking the Lemosha route from the tropical forest at the base, through altitude mountain sickness (AMS) inducing heights, to Arctic conditions at the top.
The trekkers include:
- Rachel Austin – People and Purpose Director for Tax and Legal at Deloitte, and keen supporter of the tax charities. Hoping that years of running up and down stairs and the hill in Greenwich Park after my three sons will equip me for the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro.
- Brian Chapman – Tax Help trustee. Experienced tax professional with spells in practice, industry and HMRC. Cycled from London to Dorset last year to raise funds for the tax charities. Not taking the bike this time.
- Eleanor Chapman – Daughter of a tax fanatic. Lover of challenges and IT security, striving to keep as many people safe from cyber attacks as possible. The tax charities also align with the ethos of protecting people, so that along with DNA influenced the decision to climb this beast of a mountain.
- Margaret Curran – Margaret works in the CIOT’s technical team. She is very excited to be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and has walked thousands of steps preparing for the challenge, including a recent night climb up Mount Snowdon. Margaret is proud to be supporting the two Tax Charities.
- Louise Maybury – Global Trade Advisory Consultant at Deloitte. Joined Deloitte as a BrightStart Apprentice in 2017. Climbing Kilimanjaro has been on her bucket list for a long time and she’s looking forward to finally ticking it off the list after signing up back in 2019. She has been enjoying training walks in nearby Windsor Great Park.
- Chris Moody – Chris has been a volunteer adviser for TaxAid since 2002 and has encountered numerous instances where vulnerable people have fallen foul of the tax system. He finds his work for TaxAid much more rewarding than his normal day job in accountancy. The help TaxAid gives can make a real difference to people’s lives.
- Tina Riches – Tina, a keen tax charities supporter, previously worked in practice and for the CIOT, heading the technical team. During the Covid deferrals, Tina climbed up stairs the height of Kilimanjaro five times, with a heavy rucksack, and ran the London Virtual Marathon for the tax charities. She is looking forward to smashing that mountain!
Each of the trekkers is making a significant personal commitment, including paying the full cost of their trip, so all the funds raised will go to the charities.
Thank you for your support! Every pound raised will make a difference, a real difference, to distressed people who cannot afford a tax adviser and cannot get help elsewhere.
Tags: action challenge, challenge, fundraising, just giving, kili, kilimanjaro, kilitax2022, mount kilimanjaro, mountain, mountain climb, tax charities
