Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Sadly, child poverty is increasing - more than a quarter of children in the UK are living in poverty and Institute of Fiscal Studies research suggests that one million more children are expected to be living in poverty in 2020 than in 2010. This stores up societal problems for all of us and blights the lives of the kids affected. CPAG is trying to do something about it and the Chartered Institute of Housing, of which I am a member, is supporting CPAG through its Presidential Appeal and of course its long-standing mission to ensure everyone has a decent, affordable home in thriving communities.

Meanwhile I'm trying to run six marathons over six days (two of them on the same day) in the Moroccan Sahara where the temperature can get up to 50 degrees. I shall also be starting off with a 15-20lb pack which will get lighter as I eat the contents (not the sleeping bag). There are no showers, spare clothes have weight implications and we sleep rough in the desert in bivouacs which is why they keep the 1,100 international competitors away from the rest of humanity. The Marathon des Sables is billed as the 'toughest footrace on earth'. Presumably the one on Saturn is harder. I might regret saying this but I'm aiming for top quartile performance.

Bitesize video coverage: 

http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/2013/04/2013411155124100584.html

http://www.marathondessables.co.uk/site/videos

Warning contains feet!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVRNsvVhN04 

James Cracknell did it a few years ago. His excellent documentary is here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Qak8e4vYA  

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