Gilmours owner's epic Kilimanjaro climb raises record $119,000 for Foodies Foundation

Just 400 meters from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Peter Blackwell's lungs burned and his knees ached. Yet, even with every muscle in his body screaming at him to stop, he pressed on, determined to fulfil the commitment he made to himself, his son and the Foodies Foundation.

The Foodies Foundation, a charity established by Foodstuffs North Island, the 102-year-old co-operative behind the North Island’s locally owned and operated PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square and Gilmour’s stores, was created as a means of providing financial support for Foodstuffs employees and their families in times of need.

Since its launch in 2018, it has raised more than $1.6 million and helped over 150 families.

As owner-operator of a Gilmours supermarket and a trustee of the foundation, Peter says he felt a responsibility to give back.

“The people who work for me can be dealing with tough conditions. You never know what’s really going on at home,” he says.

“As a trustee, I individually deal with people suffering with heartbreak, loss and sickness. I get about one case a week and I do everything I can to support them.”

Peter says the decision to climb Kilimanjaro was initially a personal one.

“I’m nearing 60 and easing into retirement. I wanted to recreate my youth and go on an adventure. I was looking at my kids and thinking what adventure could I give them?

“So, I said to my 19-year-old son John, ‘Let’s climb one of the tallest mountains in the world.’”

A colleague overheard Peter’s plans and challenged him to the climb, offering a bet: a dollar for every foot climbed. Peter accepted, with the stakes going towards the Foodies Foundation.

“I realised that there were plenty of people who know me in the co-op, so maybe this could be a good idea for a fundraiser,” he says.

The Kilimanjaro climb is a demanding physical challenge, but Peter and his son trained hard for 18 months. Despite a knee injury a few months before he was due to leave, Peter kept pushing forward, determined to reach the goal he had set for himself.

Peter and John arrived in Tanzania, East Africa on 21 June.

Mount Kilimanjaro – the centerpiece of Kilimanjaro National Park - is the largest free-standing mountain in the world with an elevation of 5,895 metres. Its snow-capped peak towers above the savannas below.

Peter and his son took it slow, adapting to the altitude and the challenging terrain.

“The hardest part was the altitude,” he says. “The second your heart rate went up you were gasping for breath, so we had to be very careful. I’ve never gotten breathless taking a pee before!”

During the seven-day journey, Peter and John walked through rainforests, as monkeys scampered around their feet. They crossed river valleys, plateaus and the slippery shale of the volcanic mountain. On day three they passed the cloud level and spent the rest of the climb looking down at the clouds.

When asked if he was nervous about reaching the summit and achieving his goal, Peter says no.

“Reaching the summit was originally the goal, but the day before I left, someone told me no one will think worse of you if you don’t make it. That relaxed me.

“Yeah, the summit was cool, but the best part was the seven days of hiking and spending that time with my son in such an amazing ecosystem.”

After a grueling week, Peter and John reached the summit. Despite battling hypoxia, they danced. Peter recalls that he began to cry.

“Until we got up there, I wasn’t aware of how much emotion I was holding inside me. The culmination of 18 months of work and the realisation of how much money we had raised for the Foundation... well, it hit me like a truck.”

Peter’s climb raised over $119,000 for the Foodies Foundation - the foundation’s largest ever single donation.

When asked what comes next, Peter says he’s already planning his next adventure.

"There's life in this old dog yet," he says.