A matter of days after being told I was being made redundant I got an interesting invitation in my Inbox: my friend Matt was suggesting a group of us climb Kilimanjaro, in honour of his 40th birthday. This sounded like the ideal challenge to focus on while considering my options and looking for pastures new.

Matt works for Children in Crossfire http://www.childrenincrossfire.org/ in Tanzania.

Children in Crossfire envisages the creation of a safe environment where every child can realise their rights, develop to the fullest and reach their potential.

The combination of a once in a lifetime opportunity, the chance for fundraising, and a fitting beneficiary have inspired me to set up this page. I hope to raise £1,000 for Children in Crossfire.

At 5,895 metres Kilimanjaro is the world's tallest free-standing mountain and the highest mountain in Africa. We plan to take the Rongai route up the mountain, peaking on the night of 23rd September - a full moon. We will travel through four seasons of weather, from 30°C to approximately -10°C at the peak. As we climb there will also be the ever-present delights of altitude sickness to contend with.

Whilst in Tanzania I also hope to do a few days volunteering at one of their education projects in the Children's Cancer ward in Dar es Salaam.

You can read more about Kilimanjaro here: http://www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com/

And more about Richard Moore, the founder of Children in Crossfire, here: http://www.tibetsun.com/archive/2010/05/05/irishman-richard-moore-is-my-hero-dalai-lama/

Please give generously. Thank you!