This summer, Old Stopfordian Alice O’Neill will embark on one of the biggest challenges of her life: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. Her goal goes far beyond reaching the summit. Alice is raising both awareness and vital funds for Student Minds, the UK’s leading student mental health charity. 

The adventure begins at the end of August 2026, when Alice and a small team from the University of Salford will travel to Tanzania to start the seven-day ascent. The climb includes several days of “hike high, sleep low” acclimatisation to safely adjust to altitudes of nearly 6,000 metres a day ascent. 

“It’s quicker to come down than it is to go up. But it’s such high altitude that you must do it slowly. It’s a long hike, but it’s going to be worth it.” 

Alice is undertaking the challenge as part of a wider university fundraising project. Each participant aims to raise just under £5,000, with the majority of that sum going directly to Student Minds. 

“Student mental health is such an important issue. A lot of students struggle, and we want to help make it easier for them to talk about what they’re going through and get the support they need.” 

Her group is running a variety of fundraising activities on campus, including a popup clothing shop and planned pub quizzes. But Alice has also taken on several ambitious personal fundraising challenges of her own. 

In April, Alice will run the London Marathon after securing a place through the public ballot with all proceeds going towards her upcoming trip. Alongside marathon training, Alice is organising creative fundraising events with friends and family, including a murder mystery night and a three-course charity dinner. Every penny raised will contribute to her total.  

Alice’s determination to tackle Kilimanjaro carries a deeply personal meaning. During her years at Stockport Grammar School, she underwent hip surgery and has lived with longstanding mobility challenges. 

“I know it sounds cliché, but anything is possible,” she said. “It’s going to be a lot more challenging for someone like me than for someone who’s completely fit and active. On a personal level, the anything is possible message means even more.” 

Her time at SGS also included years with the school’s climbing club, where she enjoyed weekly sessions on the indoor climbing wall and trips to the Peak District. “It was such a fun way to exercise and so different from what other schools had.” she recalled. 

Today, Alice studies Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Salford after initially beginning a Chemistry undergraduate at Keele University. When that course didn’t feel right, she pivoted and moved closer to home. No settled into her first year at Salford, Alice is thriving, learning, training and fundraising consistently. Her donation page will remain live until early July.