Grace Millane’s mum to climb Machu Picchu as friend runs London Marathon in Grace’s name for White Ribbon UK
The mother of Grace Millane, Gill, is set to take on her latest fundraising challenge in memory of her daughter, trekking Peru’s Machu Picchu to raise funds for White Ribbon UK. At the same time, Grace’s friend Abi Painter, is preparing to run the London Marathon, also in support of White Ribbon UK.
Gill Millane is taking on the South American challenge in memory of Grace, whose life was tragically taken in New Zealand in 2018 on the eve of her 22nd birthday by a man she had just met.
Having previously conquered Mount Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp for White Ribbon UK, Gill is now preparing for her latest expedition to the iconic Inca settlement on April 25th, which is set to be one of her most emotional adventures yet.
“Grace loved to live, and she loved to travel,” Gill said. “She went to Peru herself, and her words to me were, ‘Mum, that’s something you’d like to do.’ So, it was the next one on the list. It’s going to be emotional because I know that Grace was there, but I know I’ve got to do it.”
When Gill reaches the summit at Machu Picchu, she plans to leave behind small stones engraved with the names of Grace and her late husband, David, continuing a tradition she has carried out on her previous climbs.
Explaining why she chose to fundraise for White Ribbon UK, Gill said: “When Grace was taken from us, we noticed there were lots of vigils and people were coming out wearing a white ribbon. When I looked into it, I realised that actually, we need to talk about this. Violence against women and girls is something that’s been brushed under the carpet for far too long. We’ve got a voice, and I need to speak about it. The more awareness we get out there, the better it is.”
Alongside her trekking efforts, Gill is also the driving force behind ‘Love Grace’, a charitable initiative she launched in 2019 to channel her grief into positive action. The initiative provides handbags filled with essential toiletries, such as shampoo, toothpaste and shower gel, to women fleeing domestic abuse. To date, Love Grace has distributed over 33,000 bags worldwide, an achievement that led to Gill being honoured with an OBE by Prince William.
Gill also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Lincoln in September 2025, where Grace graduated in 2018, in recognition of her charity work tackling violence against women.
In addition to Gill’s challenge, the Millane family’s close friend Abi Painter, who attended primary school with Grace, is currently training to run her first London Marathon in aid of White Ribbon UK. Supported by a running coach and a nutritionist, Abi is taking on the 26.2-mile race in April to honour her friend’s legacy.
“Grace was such a kind, friendly and sweet person,” Abi said. “She was the kind of friend who always made people feel welcome and cared for. Being able to run in Grace’s memory felt like a really meaningful way to honour her and keep her memory alive. I chose White Ribbon UK because it’s a cause that feels very close to my heart. I want to help raise as much awareness as possible about violence against women and support the important work they do to prevent it.”
Lynne Elliot, CEO of White Ribbon UK, added: “Grace sounded like such a vibrant young woman who brought so much joy to those around her. At White Ribbon UK, we’re inspired by the incredible dedication of people like Gill and Abi, not only for fundraising in support of our work to end violence against women and girls, but also for raising awareness by sparking important conversations and embedding this commitment into their daily lives.”
To support Gill’s fundraising challenge, please visit her JustGiving page.
To donate to Abi’s challenge, please visit her JustGiving page.