On Sunday 6th September, we were privileged to hear from Simon Beacham as he shared a moving account of his recent trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. Undertaken alongside his daughter Maddie as a personal pilgrimage in memory of his late brother Matt, the trek formed the subject of a deeply reflective talk for everyone present.

The demanding expedition saw Simon and Maddie push their physical and mental endurance to reach Africa’s highest point, standing at an extraordinary 5,895 metres above sea level. Their route required four days of intense climbing to reach the summit, followed by a rapid two-day descent to help their bodies reacclimate from the high altitude.

Simon's younger brother, Matt, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2020 at the age of 56. Although treatment brought a brief period of stability, Matt sadly passed away in February 2025.

Thanks to remarkable generosity, Simon and Maddie raised an outstanding £5,335 for The Brain Tumour Charity—the world's leading organisation dedicated to funding brain tumour research, saving lives, and supporting everyone affected by a diagnosis.

Image: Simon pictured with his wife, Rachel