Hi Everyone,

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page. Special thanks to everyone who has donated so far. I've along way to go but your generosity has really kick started this mammoth task.

In June 2009 I'm taking on the challenge of trekking  the Inca trail to Machu Picchu in Peru to show support for my sister Diane who died in August 2008 following a long brave battle with breast cancer. Throughout her illness she received tremendous support from the Macmillan organisation which really helped both Diane and all of our family to cope with this very difficult period.

Before Diane died I told her about the challenge and she was very happy to know that I would be doing this to ensure that others receive the same level of care in the future.

Machu Picchu is located 14,000 feet above sea level. Surely that can't be difficult - after all I did climb Snowdon when I was a mere 15 years old. This time I'll be 50!!

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Macmillan Cancer Support gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now! - Every penny will help. Any one of us may need Macmillan help in the future.

Update 7th March 2009 - As you can see thanks to your fantastic generosity things are going really really well. Today we held a collection at Somerfields in Harwich and raised another £205.72p - Thanks to all who donated.

Update 11th April - We held another collection at Somerfields in Braintree and thanks to everyone's genorosity there, the sum of  £266.83 was raised.  Again, thanks to everyone who donated.

Update 23rd April  -  We are all organised (well nearly) for our Charity 60's and 70's disco which is being held at the Lion Public House, High Street, Earls Colne on Sun 3rd May (Bank Hol) at 7.30pm. Everyone welcome (in 60's and 70's gear if you want and there will be a prize for the best costume of the night!).  I have my outfit sorted - it will be worth coming just to see me in it !  This will be a fun night and theres lots going on, including a Karoake auction and our big Raffle Draw.  I really do hope you will support me and I will see you all there on the night.  We NOW HAVE RAFFLE TICKETS FOR SALE for the draw and I NEED to sell them to make loads of money for Macmillan so PLEASE buy some - they are £1.00 per ticket in books of 5.  There are some fantastic prizes donated by local businesses and other great prizes including 1) Weekend for Two at Redesdale Arms Hotel. Northumbria, 2) Meet the Essex Police Interceptors, 3) Four Ball Golf , 4) Flight for Two People from Earls Colne,  5)  Four tickets for Justin Lee Collins TV Show, 6) GHD Special Edition Purple Hair Styler Pack , 7) Months Gym Membership, 8) Meal for Two, - plus various vouchers, beauty & hair treatments, hamper, champagne, etc etc. Update - we also now have a Two person pass to see Simple Minds in July !!. Please contact me to buy some tickets as it's got to be worth it for the chance of some of these prizes !!  Thanks so much to everyone who  has donated and made it possible as well !

Please, please come along and support me and this event so we can make this a really successful night for Macmillan!!  Contact me asap to buy your raffle tickets too !!

It's never too late so if you haven't donated yet please do

Update 4th May - Last night we held the much planned and anticipated 60's and 70's themed charity disco night. It really was an outstanding success due to the generosity of Janine and Gary at The Lion, John and Jenny for the Disco and Bobby Tee for the Kareoke who all donated either their services or the venue for free. Special thanks to my gorgeous wife Jan for the tireless work she has put in over the past weeks in making sure everything was organised and run effortlessly. There were about 200 people that came along and partied into the early hours - big thanks to all of those that got into the spirit of things by donning gear of the era.

Apologies though for having to endure me losing my Karoake virginity - Neil Diamond's 'Sweet Caroline' will never sound the same again but if you pay me again I'll see if i can improve on things!!

Last nights event which included the raffle of 40 donated prizes raised a staggering £1494.67p and now brings my fundraising total to £6683.74p.

Once again I really want to thank each and everyone of you who bought raffle tickets, thrust money into my hand and came along to make it a night to remember.  

Update 8th June 2009 - I HAVE DONE IT !!

Got back yesterday after completing The Inca Trail !! The whole experience as expected, was an amazing challenge ! The challenge started with two days travelling to Peru via New York, onto Lima and then  an internal flight to Cusco. On route they managed to lose our luggage which meant we were unsure up until 12 hours before starting the trail whether or not we would have any equipment and I only had the clothes I was wearing.  Not nice !  Anyway, the luggage arrived just in time for the trail start.

Trek Day 1 was a relatively easy day from the trail head where we walked for about 10 hours to our base camp. The weather today and for the remainder of the trip was clear blue skies, no rain and temperatures in the mid 20's.  The only shock was the temperature dropping to zero within 30 minutes of arriving in camp.

Trek Day 2 was the hard day - up at 5.15am and on the trail by 6.30am for a seven hour haul up and over Dead Womans Pass.  This was literally the high point of the trek where we topped 4200m. Altitude sickness kicked in for many of us and we were glad to descend for another four hours to our night camp.  Everyone was exhausted and after a good meal prepared by our porters we were asleep by 8pm.

Trek Day 3 - by now people had settled into the routine and had got used to the altitude. The scenery was fantastic as we ascended through cloud forest to be greeted by snow capped Andean peaks. We went over two more passes and the long descents played havoc with my knees. 

Trek Day 4 - An early start saw us arrive at the Sun Gate overlooking Macchu Piccu by midday. This was a really emotional moment for me when our guide reminded us all that we were now looking down at a site which the people we had undertaken this massive challenge for would never be able to see. There weren't many dry eyes!  We spent four hours at the site before returning to Cusco by train and bus.

The whole group of 50 trekkers made it to the end.  This was the first time in 10 years that this has been achieved and was a testament to people's grit and determination (not least James who turned up at Heathrow on Day 1 having broken his foot the day before).

Arrived back home yesterday after another mammoth 48 hour trip with no sleep, this time via Madrid.  However, I would willingly do the whole thing again tomorrow as this was a fantastic life experience.  

Pub Quiz - 18th July 2009.

The last fund raising event kindly organised by Glo Clarkson at The Cliff Hotel in Dovercourt.  Although attendance was a bit low the night was greata with very hard questions, raffle and lovely food.  I wont say where my team came but lets just say we lost !!  Even so the sum raised was a staggering £141.50 so many thanks to all who attended, the Cliff and especially Glo ! 

Am now calling all my pledges in so to all of you out there who pledged please pass this on so we can finalise the total which I am now hoping will reach an amazing £7,500.  Thanks to everyone too, who keep pushing tenners into  my hand - this is really appreciated.  Dont forget what a fantastic cause Macmillan is.  Diane would have been amazed, proud and humbled at everyones generosity.

Many, Many thanks.

Adrian