Two adolescent brothers have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for a charity established in honour of a kayaker they knew who drowned at sea.
Following Dominic Jackson’s death in February, his family founded PLanB to encourage safety preparation for outdoor experiences and the usage of personal locator beacons (PLBs).
Mr Jackson went missing on Sunday, February 5th, after failing to return after a kayaking session off the coast of Aberdeenshire’s Portsoy.
His corpse was discovered in water at Lybster, roughly 50 miles from Portsoy in the Highlands, four days later.
Mr Jackson was born in Uckfield, near Brighton, but spent the last 13 years of his life in Aberdeenshire, where he ran a gardening business in the Laurencekirk region.
Harvey Dick-Reid, 17, and Archie Dick-Reid, 14, knew Mr Jackson through his work at the Fasque Castle estate in Fettercairn, and they were eager to help PLanB obtain funds.
On a trip with their school, Lathallan, the pair raised more than £1,200 by climbing Africa’s highest mountain.
Shared Dom Jackson's story with #seakayak group on FB great response & a supportive community hoping it can make a difference #planbcharity pic.twitter.com/hSdEYpEpYx
— Plan B Charity (@PlanBCharity) July 14, 2017
“Our children were pretty familiar with Dom via his employment at the estate,” their mother Heather Dick-Reid said. He was always a very wonderful man who we adored.
“The boys had already committed to the climb last year, and we realized it was a chance for them to earn money, and they both expressed an interest in raising money for PLanB.”
“Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was an incredible feat, especially given their age.”
The guys, who were part of a group of 18 students, set out at midnight on July 14 and arrived at the Tanzanian mountain’s 5,895m top nine hours later.
Mr Jackson’s family believes a personal locator beacon (PLB) may have saved his life, and they have urged others to consider using one.
A personal locator beacon (PLB) is a compact, lightweight, and wearable gadget that, when triggered, sends out a strong signal through radio frequencies and satellite tracking, allowing emergency responders to pinpoint the person’s whereabouts.
“I want others to learn from Dom and plan their adventure properly,” said Mr Jackson’s sister Ellie, who lives in Australia. “Getting the right skills, going with someone or as part of a group, carrying the right gear, and letting someone know where and when you are going are all part of having a plan B.”
Because he hadn’t told anyone he was going out that day, my brother had already been gone for 36 hours when the alarm was raised.
“I’d like people to remember my brother Dom while they’re making their own preparations and think about their own safety as well as respect for their families; no family should have to go through anything like that for the sake of a sport’s enthusiasm and excitement.”
Anyone interested in donating to the boys’ JustGiving page may do so by following @planbcharity on social media or visiting www.planbcharity.org for more information.
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