Famed Oldham Adventurer Set To Run Uganda Marathon For Eighth Time

An Oldham primary school teacher is preparing to run the Uganda Marathon for the eighth time after years of gruelling endurance fundraising challenges.

Steve Hill MBE is a prolific adventurer who has climbed mountains, trekked through the Sahara Desert waded through rivers in the Amazon jungle and crossed frozen lakes in the Arctic, all at his own expense for charity.

His first marathon in Uganda was in 2018, and he has been doing it ever since. It was the catalyst for him starting Team Hill Charitable Trust.

“A small amount here can make a big difference over there,” he said. “I will be flying out on 23 May.”

The Hill Charitable Trust has raised funds for water wells and health clinics in Uganda, and in Oldham they support Young Carers. They also support Oldham Hospital’s children’s ward. They encourage litter picking and support families that are in need.

The Trust includes a great network of people. Hill set it up in 2019 just before the Covid pandemic. They did food shops for the elderly and vulnerable.

A former rugby player, Hill started doing feats of endurance in 2009 when he climbed Mt Kilimanjaro – the highest mountain in Africa.

Though he is renowned for being an adventurer he has also raised £250,000 for charitable causes.

He has won many awards, including: An MBE for services to charity and education, National teacher of the year award, Adventurer of the year and many others. He was recently included in the top 100 most influential people in the UK.

About receiving the MBE, he said: “I was put forward by a number of parents at school without my knowledge. The nomination process is very long. When I received a letter from the Prime minister, I was shocked.”

He added it was a “very special” moment to receive the medal from the queen in 2015. He even made her laugh.

Hill has written a bestselling book titled, ‘What Next Sir?’ It’s about life growing up in Oldham and his globe-trotting adventures. He wants to write a book for children in future. He has sold over 4,000 copies, and it is still going strong.

“When I was younger, I wanted to be a fighter pilot and have a life of action then I decided to be a teacher. I wanted to be a teacher of action. This led to my adventures across the world,” Hill added.

One of his toughest challenges was the Amazon ultra-marathon which involved running six marathons in five days.

He returned recently from the Arctic where the danger of polar bears was ever present. He had to pull a pulk (sled) for seven days in the wilderness and total isolation with temperatures reaching -18 degrees.

His students now have a motto: “I can, and I will, just like Mr Hill!”

·     2009 - Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania – the highest mountain in Africa.

·     2010 - Climbing Mont Blanc – the highest mountain in Western Europe.

·     2011 - Trekking 200 miles through the Sahara Desert.

·     2012 - Climbing Mount Elbrus in Russia - the highest mountain in Europe.

·     2013 - Completing an expedition through the Arctic wilderness with huskies.

·     2013 - Trekking through the Jungles of Borneo.

·     2013 - Climbing Mount Kinabalu – the highest mountain in Southeast Asia.

·     2014 - Trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp.

·     2014 - Completing the Tenzing Hillary Mount Everest Marathon.

·     2015 - Completing the UVU North Pole Marathon.

·     2016 - Completing the Petra Desert Marathon.

·     2017 - Completing the Amazon Jungle Ultra Marathon – 230km self-supported race through the Amazon Jungle

·     2018 - Completing the Arctic Ice Ultra - 230km self-supported race through the Arctic Wilderness

·     2018 – Completing the London Marathon

·     2018 - Completing the Uganda Marathon.

·     2019 - Climbing Mount Toubkal – the highest mountain in North Africa.

·     2019 - Completing the Uganda Marathon

·     2021 – The Great Norse Run – 10 Marathons in 10 Days running the length of Iceland.

·     2022 – BTU Highland Ultra 125km across the Highlands of Scotland

·     2023 – 14 Marathon Challenge – Running Coast to Coast of Costa Rica and then Coast to Coast of Tajikistan

·     2024 – 5 Marathons & 5 Mountains Challenge – Running through Mongolia and then climbing 5 Volcanoes in Guatemala

·     2025 – Running 5 Marathons Coast to Coast across Bali in Indonesia

·     2026 – Arctic Expedition through Svalbard