An Inverurie mother of two is set to pack her walking boots and head off to Tanzania to complete a charity trek over the world's tallest freestanding mountain, Kilimanjaro.

Yasmeen Ali will embark in October to take part in the challenge in aid of Kidney Research UK. Yasmeen, who is the managing director of a health and safety consultancy in Inverurie has received the backing of Optical Express after visiting them to have laser eye surgery in June.

The firm was impressed with her determination and provided her with £2,000 sponsorship, which she required to take part. Prior to heading off to Africa, Yasmeen decided to visit Optical Express saying: "I didn't want to be fumbling around with glasses or contact lenses while trying to trek over Kilimanjaro, so I decided to take the plunge and have laser eye surgery.

The Aberdeen staff at Optical Express were fantastic and really helpful throughout the whole process" Shortly after completing the treatment Yasmeen applied for the Kilimanjaro Challenge in order to continue' raising funds for her charity of choice Kidney Research UK Yasmeen said: "I'd left it quite late to apply. There were only a few places left on the expedition and I still needed to raise an initial £3000 in sponsorship money. Having raised £1000 by herself in a week, Yasmeen still needed £2,000 in two weeks or she would miss out on the opportunity.

"During my post surgery check-up, I told Fiona, the Aberdeen branch manager about my goal to raise funds to climb Kilimanjaro for charity I was absolutely delighted when Optical Express offered to sponsor me for the remaining £2,000. I now have perfect vision and I am about to embark on my biggest charity challenge yet and it's all thanks to Optical Express".

Liz McGuinness from Kidney Research UK said: "If anyone could raise that much sponsorship money in such a small amount of time, it's Yasmeen. Her fundraising activities for Kidney Research UK over the last few years have been relentless.

She is an inspiration to us all." Yasmeen has already completed the Inverness half and Edinburgh marathons in aid of Kidney Research UK and will now fly out to Tanzania in October to begin the expedition.

Before that she will be doing a practice trek over Ben Nevis on September 19.