As some of you may know, and countless others probably won't, Henry Adams and I, two school and university friends, sailed across the Atlantic last November/December in a 25ft folkboat, named Ariel. We completed the trip from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean in 21 days, with only minor hiccups and few major arguments (it's much harder to argue when you're only awake for three hours a day together). Although this was the culmination of the trip, we had started in Inverness in June and done all of the sailing, maintenance and safety modifications ourselves. This was obviously useful as, out of a fleet of 240+ with whom we completed the crossing, of which we were the smallest boat by a way, we came around 50th on corrected time and were a long from being the last boat in. We also won the prize for best double-handed performance on corrected time.

I am making this page now because, rather embarrassingly, my initial fund-raising attempt appears to have eluded a large number of people. Given that  we wanted to raise as much money as possible for a charity that's close to both our hearts, I thought I would open this page, because, if even one more person donates, it won't have been a waste of time.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust (SDBTT) gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please, if you can, think about making a small donation.