As part of a drive to get fit and make a difference this year to something other than my waistline and double chin I have decided to take on the Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire on Sunday 14th June 2015.

This comprises a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile cycle and a 13.1 mile run so presents me with a fairly tough challenge but I'm hopeful I can conquer it so I would really appreciate any support you can give me.

I'm taking part to raise money for Smile Train which is an international children’s charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate.

Millions of children in developing countries with unrepaired clefts live in shame, but more importantly, have difficulty eating, breathing and speaking. Cleft repair surgery is simple, and the transformation is immediate. Our sustainable model provides training and funding to empower local doctors in 85+ developing countries to provide 100%-free cleft repair surgery in their communities

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thanks very much for taking the time to sponsor me!