A GROUP of 14 people from Bromsgrove-based Foster Care Associates, have raised more than £7,000 after successfully completing a trek to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The team, which was made up of staff, foster carers, and social workers from FCA, travelled to Tanzania in February for 11 days to complete the climb, in temperatures ranging from 37 degrees centigrade at the outset to, a freezing -15 degrees centigrade when they reached the summit, all to raise money for the Rees Foundation.

The foundation is a recently launched charity, which supports individuals who have spent time in care, giving them the support necessary to cope with independent living, and money raised from the trek will go toward expanding the charity’s mentoring service and other project work.

Sarah Milan, director of the Rees Foundation, was part of the trekking team. She said: “All the funds raised will go towards our project work helping us to build a supportive network of people with care experience; we will be able to offer many more opportunities as a result of this great fundraising effort through signposting, events, training and mentoring. Many services aimed at those leaving care can only be accessed up to a certain age, so through the Rees Foundation we want to help anyone who has been in care at any stage to thrive and reach their potential.

“I’d like to express a huge thank you to all of the team and those who supported us.”

David Oldham, CEO of Foster Care Associates, added: “FCA carers and staff have a strong record in fundraising. This challenge has brought together a group of people who feel passionately about establishing a strong support network for those who have spent time in care.”

The same team of people are now planning a cycling challenge in 2016 to cycle from London to Paris for the same charity.

To donate to their fundraising efforts visit justgiving.com/RFkili15 or text ‘REES57’ followed by ‘£’ and the amount, to 70070.

For more information on the Rees Foundation visit reesfoundation.org.