Name: Dan Davis

Age when climbing: 26 1/2 years

Boot size: Generic man size 10

Biggest thing you've ever climbed: Out of bed with a hangover and Snowdon and the mast of the Swan Fan Makkum while in the middle of the Atlantic.

Reason you'll be first to the top: There is no reason; it won't happen because I'll be too busy still taking photos somewhere near the bottom.

Song on your iPod for reaching the summit: Time, Chase and Status.

Who you would least like to meet up there: Mole.

Who you would most want to give a piggyback to: Somebody small and light...

Why climb for GUD: It's a good thing to do; they do good things! (And Ella told me to!)

Thing you'll be telling yourself to make it to the top: Based on the low oxygen at altitude, I guess I will have no thoughts whatsoever.

Please visit my fundraising page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DanDavis.

What did you make of your experience? Climbing Kili was one of the hardest and best things I have ever done: it was an education to see what my body could do and how it would react to the altitude. I would highly recommend everybody does it... Once!

Name: Ella Spencer

Age when climbing: 24 1/2 (eek!)

Boot size: A lady never tells

Biggest thing you've ever climbed: La Rhune (in a cable car)

Reason you'll be first to the top: Because I'm swapping everyone else's altitude sickness pills for parma violets!

Song on your iPod for reaching the summit: The Official GUD Kili Song (p.s if everyone else hasn't also put this then their answers are, quite frankly, incorrect because this IS what they will be listening to!) To the tune of "We're off to see the Wizard". CD available on request, in return for sponsorship of course.

We're off to climb Mount Kili
The highest of Africa’s peaks,
We hear it is pretty easy
But we think it will take us some weeks
If ever, oh ever, a Hill there was
Mount Kilimanjaro is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the buzz that it gives to uz

Who you would least like to meet up there: The Royal Wedding Party

Who you would most want to give a piggyback to: Jamie. Mainly because our impeccable and beautiful singing voices could combine in a cacophony of illustrious and glorious harmonies transcending the magnitude of the task at hand and propelling us to the summit

Why climb for GUD: Because my friends in Kanubeh are more than worth the effort.

Thing you'll be telling yourself to make it to the top: Sean can't win; I must beat him. Sean can't win; I must beat him. Sean can't win; I must beat him.

Please visit my fundraising page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/EllaGeorgiaSpencer.

What did you make of your experience? Before we left for Tanzania I was endlessly worried: about my bad knee, about my fitness levels, about the cold, about the altitude. Worried about everything that the mountain had the potential to throw at us. In the end, my worrying proved pointless and besides, Kilimanjaro just isn't that simplistic. It doesn't care for inane practicalities. Kilimanjaro tests you in other, far less tangible ways. Determination, will-power and self belief are all pushed to their limits and beyond.

Each day offered something new to marvel at, whether it be peering down upon the carpeted moorland and blankets of cloud or gazing up at the snow topped Uhuru peak which continuously played hide and seek, using the clouds as cover. There were times of rapturous laughter, solitary contemplation, uplifting singing and there were even some tears. However, nothing can contend with my memory of the summit day. On that night, there were innumerable times when I was convinced I would never get to the top. The way I felt in the 9 hours it took me to reach the summit is rather hard to describe and probably best attempted through a series of memories from throughout the night. Firstly, there were the seven top layers I wrapped myself in before lying awake, anticipating the 12pm call to rise and then there were the dots of light from headtorches, marching their way determinedly upwards. There was the unbelievable tiredness that overcame me at every opportunity and the nausea which infiltrated every pore of my body. There was the shout of Jamie's fall, which signalled his imminent descent as the altitude sickness overwhelmed him. There was Sean, sitting on a rock and laughing at his own hands and there was the inexplicable cold which wrapped itself around every bone and muscle. There was the utter feeling of despair when I realised how far behind I was and the sinking feeling when Alastair passed me on his way down, too unsteady to carry on.

But then there was Philippe's humming as I clung to his arm in the most excruciating parts of the night and there was his belief, as well as that of our other guides, that we would make it, and their persistence, patience and support. There was the eventual lightening of the sky as a sharp slice of sunlight streaked across the horizon, the sunrise unfolding as I stood hallucinating at the bottom of a steep slope of scree, utterly convinced that the rest of the group awaited me on a plateau above and were calling my name. There was the hot and sweet black coffee that Phillippe magicked-up, which will forever be the best I'll ever have and the absolute exhilaration of finally catching up with Sean and Holly. There was my hug with Holly when we reached Stella point, ready to face up to the final climb and then Dan's voice filled with emotion, having just returned from the summit. There was Katy's determined return to the 5,895m peak after, having already been there, she rejoined us for a photograph and then there was my first sight of the summit sign, that which signals the successful culmination of every Kilimanjaro climb. There was falling asleep beneath it, both Holly and I utterly wiped out, waiting for Sean to reach us. There was posing at the summit, with our hand-made GUD banner and there was the GUD sticker which now sits proudly in the left-hand corner of the sign, demonstrating that although the climb personally resonated with every one of us the money raised has the potential to be life-changing in a wholly different way.

All in all, without any doubt, the best thing I have ever done.

Name: Holly Cowgill

Age when climbing: 23 and 1 month

Boot size: 6

Biggest thing you've ever climbed: Nothing even remotely close to 19,344 feet!

Reason you'll be first to the top: Because if Sean is we will never hear the end of it!

Song on your iPod for reaching the summit: Lovely Day, Bill Withers. That or black eyed peas 'i've got a feeling' will make Ella& me even more excited!!

Who you would least like to meet up there: I don’t really mind who’s up there as long as I am one of them (and the rest of the GUD team of course!)

Who you would most want to give a piggyback to: A hardcore mountaineering, medically-trained, altitude sickness miracle worker, backpack-carrying, motivation-shouting, big warm hug-giving, encouraging words-giver... Ideally one that isn't too heavy and resembles Jake Gyllenhaal.

Why climb for GUD: All the money raised will go directly to Kanubeh and be spent on things such as the teachers' salary or the start up of a banana plantation that will provide the villagers with a reliable income and eventually support the village school. The support from GUD is invaluable to the development of the village and the villagers. Plus, GUD is a very small charity but, with support from huge events like this, it can grow and further its work in the development of Kanubeh and The Gambia.

Thing you'll be telling yourself to make it to the top: I don't want to miss out on the team photo at the top! Oh and I heard the view is pretty special.

Please visit my fundraising page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HollyCowgill-KilimanjaroforGUD.

What did you make of your experience? Unbelievably knackering, absolutely amazing, steep, rocky, exciting, nerve-racking, stunning views, seemingly unachievable at times, cloudy, sunny, cold, miserable, really great fun, VERY BIG!, sore head, sore knees, sore body, beautiful blue skies, even more beautiful sunrises, so satisfying, overwhelming, unforgettable...

It's really hard to put it into words but all of these help summarise my Kilimanjaro experience. I have no doubt that it was one of the hardest things most of us have ever done but, even through the times of sheer exhaustion, I was determined that I would make it to Uhuru Peak. It seemed to come around so quickly and suddenly the months of planning and panicking back home all came together as we set off from Machame Gate. The days spent walking through the rainforest, the bush, the rocks, the desert and, finally, up to the glacial zone never ceased to amaze us and totally surpass our expectations. There were times of, quite frankly, utter despair (especially on the 9 hour night time trek to the summit) and tiredness like you've never experienced tiredness before! The GUD team getting to the top of the world's tallest free-standing mountain was totally worthwhile, and something that I'm sure none of us will ever forget.

Name: Jamie Cheng

Age when climbing: 26 years and 5 months

Boot size: 9-10, depending on the activity

Biggest thing you've ever climbed: The career ladder and my emotions.

Reason you'll be first to the top: Because I'll be pulling everyone up one by one.

Song on your iPod for reaching the summit: Eye of the Tiger

Who you would least like to meet up there: My friend Aaron because he told me he didn't want to come on the climb in the first place.

Who you would most want to give a piggyback to: The Dalai Lama

Why climb for GUD: I know where my donations will go: to Kanubeh.

Thing you'll be telling yourself to make it to the top: Bear Grylls would be proud of me.

Please visit my fundraising page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JamieChengsKiliAdventure.

What did you make of your experience? A modern day epic. Anyone would have thought that 5 days of gruelling mountaineering was tough enough for team GUD but add on sub-zero temperatures, altitude sickness, and you have Kilimanjaro. I had one of the best times in my life climbing the mountain with the team, although it may sound like a hard expedition with many tears there were also more occasions where we laughed our way up the mountain, some might say that was the altitude but I say it was because as a group we became closer and shared the pain. The climb was one of my greatest achievements to date, even though I didn't quite make it to the top I can take pride that the money I raised along the way will contribute towards the development of Kanubeh.

Name: Katy Sheppard

Age when climbing: 27 years and 3 months

Boot size: 5

Biggest thing you've ever climbed: Franz Josef glacier (and that was only half way!)

Reason you'll be first to the top: Enthusiasm and wanting to race everyone else.

Song on your iPod for reaching the summit: Probably something cheesy like Dolly Parton's Working 9 to 5!

Who you would least like to meet up there: I can't think of anyone!

Who you would most want to give a piggyback to: Jonny Wilkinson!

Why climb for GUD: The whole team supporting GUD will make a big difference.

Thing you'll be telling yourself to make it to the top: I can do it!

Please visit my fundraising page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/KatySheppard.

What did you make of your experience? I would like to say a massive thank you to all the people who sponsored me to climb Kilimanjaro. The money I knew I was raising for GUD played a huge part in inspiring my determination to reach the top. The experience was, I think, one of the hardest things I have done both physically and mentally but at the same time totally amazing and spectacular.

On the first day we climbed through forest and managed to see a monkey. It was a steep climb that saw us reach the canopy layer of the forest by the end of that day. The second day's climb was even steeper! The landscape was changing rapidly and we did some acclimatisation training where we climbed to 4,000 metres and stayed there for half an hour to help our bodies adjust to the altitude.

We started the climb on day three by doing some rock climbing. This was very steep and as we got higher, around 4,600 metres, the altitude started to affect me and I began to get a headache. If I thought day three had been tough I was in for a shock on day four! On this day we walked pretty much constantly for eight hours. Once I reached camp I had to lie down!

At a little after 12:00 am the following day we set off for the summit. I hadn't slept and as I started walking I remember feeling so tired that I kept closing and opening my eyes. I was also struggling to keep my balance. A couple of hours into the climb I began to doubt whether I would reach the top. Luckily for me a kind porter took my bag and I regained my balance taking it very slowly. As soon as the sun rose I began to feel better and seeing my target kept me going. Reaching the top was a very emotional experience. While the trip was epic I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is something I will remember forever.

Name: Alastair AKA Mole

Age when climbing: 26 years, 333 days, 12 hours and…..?? minutes

Boot size: A manly size 10

Biggest thing you've ever climbed: An emotional mountain.

Reason you'll be first to the top: Because 1) I am the tallest 2) Everyone wants to stare at my bum.

Song on your iPod for reaching the summit: My iPhone will be out of battery because I will have been trying to get a 3G connection for the past 5 days.

Who you would least like to meet up there: Ella Spencer/Jeremy Kyle

Who you would most want to give a piggyback to: Charlize Theron – holding 1,328 helium-filled party balloons to neutralise her weight – obviously the higher we went the more balloons would be required to maintain lift...!

Why climb for GUD: Because the Gambia is the smallest country in mainland Africa and needs the help of the most disproportioned person in London.

Thing you'll be telling yourself to make it to the top: “If Chris Moyles can do it...”

Please visit my fundraising page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AlastairBallantyne.

What did you make of your experience? It's not that I couldn't make it to the summit; everyone has made it up Kilimanjaro and I wanted a different story.

Name: Sean Monks

Age when climbing: 23 up, 24 down

Boot size: 10

Biggest thing you've ever climbed: Back onto my high horse. It's pretty high.

Reason you'll be first to the top: Inevitability.

Song on your iPod for reaching the summit: Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Marvin Gaye.

Who you would least like to meet up there: Paul and Barry Chuckle.

Who you would most want to give a piggyback to: Ella, then I'd remind her of it every day forever.

Why climb for GUD: I've seen firsthand the impact that the smallest amount of money can have on the people in upcountry Gambia.

Thing you'll be telling yourself to make it to the top: Man up, it's just a mountain.

Please visit my fundraising page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/seanvskilimanjaro.

What did you make of your experience? Just over the sound of my own heartbeat and tears, I could hear: 'Simba, why are you so slow?' Nelson, my guide, was standing at the bottom of the long stretch of scree up to Stella Point, the marker before Uhuru Peak. I stopped and, without wasting too much energy on lifting my head, replied with breathy commas between each word: 'I'm just really tired.'

I was already pretty cross at the mountain for picking on Jamie and Mole, and for giving me a splitting headache two mornings in a row. But when it deliberately got steeper, colder and harder to climb, I was at my wits' end. I manned-up; swapped my leg muscles for energy tablets; replaced my will power with a bar of Fruit & Nut; sat on a rock laughing at my gloves for a few minutes; and then took the mountain by surprise with the most determined plod it'd ever seen.

The days spent in the run up to summiting were steep in parts but, on the whole, made for a decent group trek. As we climbed through several layers of cloud, there were thankfully enough gaps in the pain to take in the views of the forest's canopy below us and the alpine glaciers above us. Singing voices and spirits were equally high for the whole week and the campsite banter made sleeping in subzero temperatures very close to bearable.

Kilimanjaro takes a week to climb, makes you sweat misery and forces you to play Altitude Sickness Russian Roulette by its rules. Was it the best thing I've ever done? Absolutely.