A NATIONWIDE employee is gearing up for the challenge of a lifetime as he prepares to hike up Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Great Western Air Ambulance.

Sam Winfield will attempt the perilous climb on February 13 and has the full support of all his colleagues at the Regent Street branch – so much so that they will spend a full day a Kiss Gym cycling for Sam.

The scheme is all part of the branch staff’s desire to raise as much money as they possible can for the Air Ambulance, a cause described by Sam as “extremely worthwhile”.

The 24-year-old mortgage advisor, who has worked at the bank since May 2015 and has already managed to pull in more than £4,000 in sponsorship donations, said: “I’m a little bit apprehensive about the challenge.

“I had it in my head that it would not be too bad, but I think I have had a reality check that it’s going to be a very difficult challenge. I have done a bit of training in Wales to try to get used to it, but nothing can really compare to doing it for real. I am relatively fit, but I don’t know how my body will react to the high altitude.”

Mount Kilimanjaro stands at almost 6,000 metres above sea level in Tanzania. Every year around 10 people die while trying to scale it, usually from altitude sickness.

But that doesn’t bother Sam. He said: “I first got involved with the charity through working at Nationwide. The more I found out about it the more I wanted to help.

“I didn’t realise just how hard it is for them to keep going and doing the great work they do. It’s a very worthwhile charity.”

Sam’s colleagues will be backing him all the way as around 10 others take to the saddle on February 3 for a one-on-one-off cycle ride on an exercise bike in Kiss Gym in Princes Street.

Kelly Marriott, 37, who has been a Nationwide employee for 18 years, said: “This is part of our drive to raise funds for charities. Sam put himself forward to climb Kilimanjaro and cycling 62km was a random idea we thought of to support him.

“We’re all really excited about it. Our customers are always keen to get involved and support us, which is great.

"I think it’s really important for businesses to do things like this and as a branch we will certainly be looking to do a lot more fundraising events.”

To donate to Sam’s appeal, log on to kilimanjaro2017.everydayhero.com/uk/samuel