A BEXLEY woman is setting off next Wednesday (Jan 15) to celebrate her 21st birthday on Africa’s highest peak in memory of her dad.

Emma Connelly, of Blendon Road, lost her father to cancer when she was aged seven.

The 20-year-old will climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for the organisation which cared for him in his final days.

Thanks to Northfleet-based charity EllenorLions Hospices, Emma’s dad David was able to stay at home with his family in the final months before he died in 2000.

The customer services liaison officer said: "It made such a difference being able to keep him at home.

"After he died, they also provided us with much-needed bereavement support.

"We are so very grateful to the charity for all they did for us and I wanted to do my bit to give something back."

She will also take a locket reminding of her dad which she will bury at the summit.

EllenorLions Hospices is a charity which serves communities across Bexley and west Kent with hospice care.

For more information, visit virginmoneygiving.com/EmmaLucyConnelly