THE mother of a murdered backpacker from Wickford has raised £27,000 climbing Kilimanjaro in memory of her daughter.

Grace Millane, a 22-year-old from Wickford, was tragically murdered by Jesse Kempson, 28, in December 2018 while backpacking in New Zealand.

She was travelling the world at the time, and while in New Zealand met her killer on the dating app Tinder before sharing some drinks at a bar on the night of her 22nd birthday.

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Grace was later strangled to death in a hotel before Kempson moved her body into a suitcase and buried her.

Her mum Gill has since set up a charity in her daughter’s memory, called Love Grace, where they support and collect items for victims of domestic abuse.

She has now taken on a charity challenge to climb Kilimanjaro in memory of her daughter, and husband David, who passed away from cancer in 2020.

Gill took on the climb with Grace's aunt and David's sister, Heather Gammer, Grace's uncle and David's brother, Martin Millane, and Jason Bedding, a family friend.  

Echo: Climb - Gill Millane, Heather Gammer, Martin Millane, and Jason BeddingClimb - Gill Millane, Heather Gammer, Martin Millane, and Jason Bedding (Image: Love Grace)

More than £27,000 has since been raised following the climb, over New Year, for the White Ribbon, St Luke’s Hospice, in Basildon, and Widowed and Young.

Hannah O’Callaghan, Gill’s niece, told the Echo: “Gill said it was one of the hardest things she has ever done.

“We are all proud of Team Millane, the word inspirational doesn’t do them justice.

“They set themselves a goal and trained hard to achieve it, whilst raising thousands of pounds and awareness for three very special charities, all in memory of David and Grace.

“What a way to start 2023.”

To donate, visit https://justgiving.com/team/team-millane 

To find out more about Love Grace, visit https://www.facebook.com/lovegraceuk/