It's been a while since I last did any fundraising - or even any real exercise! - as the last couple of years have been focussed on our wedding and then the birth of our first child Max in October 2008.

The Great North Swim is my first small step towards doing a little bit more for other people again.  As before, I am raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care - this time by competing in the Great North Swim in Lake Windermere (at 9:30am on Sunday 13th September).

Any donations, no matter how small, will be very gratefully received and I am very thankful to all of you for your generosity both now and previously.

To make things a little more interesting, I am also quitting smoking!  Obviously the two are linked since I would rather not drown in Windermere.  If you'd like to help, you can sponsor me to give up smoking at www.justgiving.com/TomBottomleyQuits - the challenge here is to give up from 1st August 2009 until the swim on 13th September 2009 ... and my promise is that I will repay ALL sponsorship raised at the above address if I fail (MCCC still get their money but I will pay).

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe – 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.

Thank you again for all your help.

Tom