A father and son will climb Africa’s highest mountain to support a charity that helps deprived South African communities.

David and Henry Pinto, who have already trekked up some of this country’s highest peaks together, will attempt to beat altitude sickness and conquer Mount Kilimanjaro while generating £50,000 in sponsorship for the Oliver Foundation.

David Pinto, a partner at Aldershot’s Pinto Potts Solicitors, hopes to realise a lifelong ambition by standing on the top of the Tanzanian mountain at the end of the scheduled eight-day climb later this month.

“I have always wanted to stand on the mountain’s peak, which is on the equator, in snow,” David, 53, said. “It will be a real challenge but something great to do with my son. I felt this was an excellent way of raising money for charity, while at the same time fulfilling my ambition to scale Kilimanjaro.”

Henry, 18, who is currently in Australia as part of a year out before attending University College London for a philosophy degree, was due to travel with Crowthorne’s Wellington College rugby team to South Africa for a July competition, but broke an ankle before the team left.

His father said: “Henry was very disappointed when he broke his ankle, but the surgeon said that he should be alright for the climb.”

David met Oliver Foundation founder Chris Oliver on the touchline of games for Wellington College, where they both watched their sons play rugby.

“Chris mentioned about the trip and his foundation and I thought that it would be a great opportunity to do something that I have always wanted to do,” David, who lives in Gally Hill Road, Church Crookham, said.

“I asked Henry and he did not hesitate to accept. We climbed Scafell Pike in the Lake District and Ben Nevis together when Henry was younger.

“The foundation does some fantastic work for communities in South Africa who literally have nothing at all. We talk about poverty here, but there are some children there who are desperately in need of help.”

The duo, who jet out to Africa on October 19, have been improving their fitness in preparation. David knows getting to the top of Kilimanjaro, which stands 19,340ft above sea level, will be a big achievement.

“I have lost a bit of weight and have begun playing squash again,” David said. “I have been running, cycling and also in the gym a bit. I have been playing golf to keep my hand in too.

“The thing that we will not be able to prepare for is the altitude, as there simply is not anywhere around here that is high enough. One of the wags at the golf course said that I should ask the airline pilot to drop me off at a certain height so I knew what the altitude would be like.

“I am sure we will encounter many challenges on the way that will test our strength of character and resolve, but hopefully the view from the summit will make it all worthwhile.

“We’ve already got about £38,000 in sponsorship, so it would be great to reach the £50,000 mark by the time we set off.”

Mr Oliver, son Callum and six other intrepid fundraisers will join David and Henry for the trek. His foundation, set up 17 years ago, aims to create a meaningful and sustainable impact in under-resourced communities, primarily in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

It focuses on supporting programmes that have a social, environmental, educational and economic impact on the lives of people it involves. Visit www.theoliverfoundation.com for more details, and www.justgiving.com/honey-badgers to sponsor the expedition. UK backers who pledge cash can also choose to add an extra 28% of their dona-tion in tax at no cost to them.