Volunteer first responder to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for London Ambulance Charity

“I wanted to honour my late father”: volunteer first responder to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for charity

A London Ambulance Service volunteer is preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro this September to raise vital funds for the London Ambulance Charity and the MS Society.

Adam Reed, a newly qualified Community First Responder (CFR), will attempt to summit Africa’s highest mountain – standing at over 19,000 feet – as part of a personal fundraising challenge to pay tribute to his late father.

Community First Responders are clinically trained volunteers who attend emergency 999 calls in their local area, often arriving first on scene to provide life‑saving care while an ambulance is on its way.

Since joining London Ambulance Service, Adam has been determined to go beyond his regular volunteering to support frontline staff, patients, and families.

Adam, 41, who volunteers from Wimbledon Ambulance Station, said:

“This is a challenge that means a lot to me. I’m taking on Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the London Ambulance Charity and MS Society in honour of my late father.

“My dad was diagnosed with MS at a very early age and I grew up with him having it. It grips people in different ways and in his 40s it got worse – he lost his mobility and was wheelchair bound.

“I wanted to volunteer for London Ambulance Service as my mum would call the ambulance service when he had a fall and she needed help.

“I wanted to help ease the burden for other families and patients.”

Adam is no stranger to endurance challenges. After taking up running in 2019 to support his mental health, he has completed multiple marathons and successfully finished Ironman Frankfurt in 2024.

He is following an intensive training programme combining road running in southwest London with demanding off‑road trail work in preparation for the ascent.

Jess Burgess, Head of London Ambulance Charity, said:

“Adam’s commitment to saving lives in London is truly remarkable.

“Not only is he volunteering his own time and skills to help patients, he’s going over and above to challenge himself and fundraise for two incredible causes.

“We truly appreciate his efforts and look forward to supporting his training and completion of his ascent.”

Dr Fenella Wrigley MBE, Chief Medical Officer at London Ambulance Service, said:

“Adam is such an inspiration to us all by going the extra mile to care for our patients and colleagues who treat Londoners around the clock.

“Our community first responders play a crucial role in being the first on scene to care for patients in those vital first minutes before our ambulance crews arrive.

“If you could be there for people living in your neighbourhood during those life-or-death moments then please come forward by signing up as a volunteer.

“No previous training or medical experience is needed.”

Funds raised through Adam’s climb will help provide life‑saving equipment, free CPR training, and ongoing wellbeing support for the paramedics and emergency call handlers responding to some of London’s most challenging emergencies.

Further information about the role, training and how to apply is available on our Community First Responders page.

Help us raise money for frontline crews and local communities by joining London Ambulance Charity’s Dragon Boat Race this summer. Sign up on our dedicated Charity website here.

To learn more about Adam's climb, please visit his Go Fund Me page.

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