Shrewsbury team reach new heights in memory of kind-hearted Riley

A group of six climbers from Shrewsbury have successfully reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, raising  more than £21,000 for the newly founded ‘Life of Riley’ charity.

The team, including members of Shropshire company R1 Construction, took on the ambitious challenge in memory of Riley Evans, who passed away, aged 12, from Burkitt Lymphoma in November 2023.

Riley’s father Andrew Evans was joined by  Ben Tomkinson, Dave Peach, Ian Hughes, Steve Peach, and Dean Suter in taking on the challenge.   

The 11-day trek, which saw the group ascend more than 5,895 metres to reach the mountain's peak, tested their physical and mental limits. 

Along the way, they faced a range of climates—from alpine deserts to freezing summits—and battled the unpredictable effects of high-altitude conditions.

Ben, who is Managing Director of Shrewsbury-based R1 Construction, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the team for their unwavering determination and it is a tremendous achievement that we all reached the summit of Kilimanjaro together.

“I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported us throughout this journey. 

"Our initial goal was to raise £10,000 for the charity, so to have doubled that amount is truly remarkable.”

Riley was described as a "vibrant and kind-hearted young man, whose bravery, sense of humour, and determination left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him." 

His memory continues to inspire those around him, and his legacy is living on through the charity his mother, Natalie Choudhury, has founded in his name.

The ‘Life of Riley’ charity seeks to support families enduring similar challenges by funding essential resources. 

These include a sponsored room at the Ronald McDonald and birthday packages for children undergoing treatment in hospitals.

Donations continue to be welcomed through the team’s GoFundMe page, ‘Moving Mountains for Riley’  - which can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/moving-mountains-for-riley

Reflecting on Riley's personality, the GoFundMe page adds: "Through adversity, Riley still maintained his huge happy personality, continuing to make his family smile and laugh through the hardest of days. 

"He continuously kept the doctors, nurses and all the lovely and dedicated staff amazed by his kind and caring nature."    

Every contribution from the GoFundMe page goes directly to the charity, ensuring that Riley’s legacy will continue to bring joy and support to families during their most challenging times.