Tanzania trip begins

Zach and Franky Wright from Lilliput are heading off to Tanzania this weekend, and Zach will attempt to become the youngest person in the midlands to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.

Zach has been in training for months and is aiming to raise €10,000 to highlight the dangers associated with strokes and heart disease.

After the untimely death of his gran and uncle last year, both through heart-related illness, Zach decided he was going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It is the highest peak on the continent at over 20,000ft and will take him nine or 10 days to scale.

Zach and his dad Franky are no strangers to climbing adventures and have been in serious training. Croghan Hill in Offaly has become a second home to the Wrights as it is their principal training circuit. During each visit, Zach completes the climb eight times, in order to be fully prepared for the challenge that awaits.

They have held a number of fundraisers for the Irish Heart Foundation, and Zach and Franky are paying for the entire trip themselves.