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The charity "Help For Heroes" is nearly £7,000 better off thanks to the splendid fund-raising effort of Shropshire-based trainer-rider Kelda Wood, who last month completed a sponsored climb of the highest peak in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, in aid of the cause.

"It was brilliant, but a lot tougher than I expected. The Himalayas were a lot easier," admitted Kelda, a seasoned climber. "I was told that it's your mind, not your body, which will get you to the top, and it's quite true."

The whole climb, including the descent, took six days, and the group of 40, who each had a porter to assist them, were travelling virtually throughout in single file. "We were climbing for up to 12 hours a day and it wasn't easy to get much sleep due to altitude sickness," Kelda expounded. "You lost your co-ordination and just wanted to sleep. You'd sometimes nod off just standing up, and the porter would push you upright before you fell over!"

Apart from feeling "a total sense of achievement" Kelda found other benefits from the experience. Some years ago she fractured her ankle and dislocated her foot when a bale of haylage fell onto her leg, and she has suffered considerable continuous discomfort ever since. "I was really worried that it wouldn't stand up to the climb but I think walking with poles must have been really good for it, because it's felt better than it has done for years," she smiled.

And so impressed were the expedition leaders with Kelda's ability and commitment that they suggested that she ought to work for a mountain leader's qualification herself, something which she has taken on board with enthusiasm. "It's summer work so it will fit in perfectly with the Point-to-Point training," she explained.

Kelda, who has already proved herself as a trainer of considerable ability, already has her eye on the coming season. She has no intention of sacrificing standards in favour of numbers but still has a couple of empty boxes at her yard a few miles from Shrewsbury.

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