I survived my Sahara Challange! A brief overview:

All my fears and apprehensions quickly lifted when I got on the bus to Heathrow with all the other “Sahara Stompers”. They were such a fantastic group of people, all with the common cause of raising money for CAFT.

I found it amazing that despite the lack of sleep, the blazing sun, the weight of our bags, the blisters on our feet and the flies constantly on our faces, that we all managed to get along together and help each other along. Not to mention the distinct lack of toilet faculties – but that’s a whole different story!!

I enjoyed trekking with someone new at each stage of the trek, finding out their stories and their reasons for being on the trek. We were all there for such a variety of reasons.

At other times I liked having some “Jane time” and enjoyed trekking alone, taking in the tremendous sights I was so fortunate to see, and just enjoying some real time out from the hustle and bustle of my life.

My highlight – climbing a gigantic sand dune (1 step forward, 10 steps backwards type dune!) to watch the sunrise. Oh, and reaching the finishing line of course!!

My low point – my tent mate getting heat exhaustion. I’d only met her 24 hours ago but she felt like one of my closest friends. She recovered by the way! She was so brave.

The moment I laughed – Well, despite the adversity at times I haven’t laughed so much in a long long time. No one moment stands out, and I was laughing at things that I wouldn’t even bat an eyelid at in “normal” life! Trying to fight my way out of the tent in the middle of the night forgetting I had to unzip it (pesky meshing!) and going into a tent and starting to unpack my bag for a good five minutes before realising it was someone else’s tent and someone else’s bag, are a couple of moments that spring to mind – I put it totally down to sleep depravation!

The moment I cried – when our guides started singing and dancing in camp one night and we all joined in. Not quite sure what made me cry, but it was my moment.

Family and friends were at the forefront of my thoughts during the challenge – work, money, possessions etc just didn’t matter in the desert. I already knew that family and friends are the most important things in my life but this experience helped reconfirm that, and I think it helps to be reminded of that every now and again.

I had a truly incredible experience, and hopefully I’ve helped give some children some incredible experiences at The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust.

Thank you all again for your kindness and generosity.

Jane x

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I have signed up to trek across the Sahara (well, part of it anyway!) in November in aid of the Children's Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT).

The charity is based in Cheshire and has become very close to my heart since I moved to Manchester 10 years ago. I cycled round Cuba for the charity a few years ago and feel fortunate to have the opportunity to support them in this capacity again.

CAFT provide life-changing experiences and opportunities to thousands of terminally ill, disabled and disadvantaged children each year.

I believe all children, regardless of age, ability or social circumstance, have the right to play in a safe environment. For many children, this is not possible in their daily environment. A holiday or daytrip at The Adventure Farm gives these children a fantastic opportunity to escape the stresses and traumas of their everyday life and simply become children again. The charity shows them that there is a world outside of the world they live in, giving them something to aim for, and giving them hope. I've visited The Adventure Farm a couple of times and it's hard not to be touched by the work they do.

I feel so fortunate to have had the upbringing, opportunities and love that I had as a child and I have a gorgeous niece and nephew who are both healthy and loved. However I know that this is so often not the case for many children. I am going to be working hard over the next few months, both training for the event and fundraising, and I hope you will be able to join me by donating and bringing a smile to some more children. Every penny counts, so even if it's just a few pennies I'll be most grateful! Thanks, Jane x