Murdered backpacker’s mum completes Everest trek

Gillian Millane has completed several challenges in memory of her daughter but said this one was the hardest yet

Gillian Millane Gillian Millane at the top with her arms in the air — Gillian Millane has completed several challenges in memory of her daughter but said this one was the hardest yet

The mother of a British backpacker murdered in New Zealand has climbed to Everest base camp in memory of her daughter.

Grace Millane, 22, from Wickford in Essex, was killed on a Tinder date in Auckland in December 2018.

Her mother Gillian Millane said it had been “the hardest thing I have ever done” after battling snow up to her knees to reach the camp.

The climb raised money for the White Ribbon charity, which aims to end male violence against women.

Grace, pictured with her mother Gillian and late father David, was very close to her family and loved to travel

Gillian Millane Grace with her mother Gillian and late father David — Grace, pictured with her mother Gillian and late father David, was very close to her family and loved to travel

“The weather was the worst they have had there for 12 years. It was all very emotional,” she said.

“It was freezing, I was wet though to the skin and the altitude was very hard to deal with. We were sleeping in rooms with no heating, there were landslides and paths were being washed away.

“But other than all that, I had a wonderful time and I had an amazing team behind me.”

It took the team eight days of climbing to reach the camp – which sits at an altitude of 17,598ft (5364m) – and four days to get back down.

Mrs Millane left a stone engraved with her daughter’s name at the top, alongside one with the name of her late husband David, who died from cancer in 2020.

She had previously left stones with their names on at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Gillian Millane left stones at Everest base camp in tribute to her daughter and husband

Gillian Millane stones engraved with the names David and Grace — Gillian Millane left stones at Everest base camp in tribute to her daughter and husband

Gillian Millane has been made an OBE after helping thousands of domestic abuse victims

Gillian Millane Gillian smiling surrounded by snow and mountains — Gillian Millane has been made an OBE after helping thousands of domestic abuse victims

After Grace’s death, Mrs Millane started the charity initiative Love Grace, which collects donated handbags and fills them with toiletries for domestic abuse victims, inspired by her daughter’s love of handbags.

So far, the charity has filled more than 20,000 bags for women in the UK and across the world, with Mrs Millane appointed an OBE for her efforts.

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