What's it all about?....  I'm off to the Arctic to embark on a walk to the Magnetic North Pole. I'll be part of a team of five, none of us with any previous Arctic experience and pulling all our food, kit, tents and fuel on sledges. Temperatures will range between -20C to -65C and we may well encounter the odd Polar Bear on the way.

Training for the event has included a weekend of team building tasks and camping in the lake district in November last year - which happened to be the same weekend all those bridges were washed away! 4 days training, camping and skiing in Norway in January (that was seriously cold - but not as cold as the North Pole) plus cold weather injury training and shotgun training (just in case the Polar Bears get too friendly) in March. In addition, I have to make sure I can physically handle the event, so I've spent a lot of time pulling tyres, swimming and running.

This expedition is dragging me out of my comfort zone and is testing me to my (limited) limit. I hate the cold and all forms of discomfort and I will have to survive without real coffee or any alcohol for the entire trip. Not to mention sleeping in a small tent with two large hairy guys! Combined with the excellent Rainbows cause these are good reasons to dig deep and donate as much as you can.

Why Rainbows Young Childrens Hospice...Sadly, some children simply do not live long enough. Rainbows is a hospice for children and young people which deserves all the support it can get.  Since opening in 1994, Rainbows has provided a sanctuary where life-limited children and their families can take a break from problems, fully supported and cared for by an incredible professional team. They help relieve symptoms, improve the quality of life, support parents and siblings through the darkest of bereavements and care for children until the end.

 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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. It’s got to be the most efficient and simplest way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving a huge amount of time and it cuts the costs for the charity.

All you support is very much appreciated.