My colleagues at Make Architects (www.makearchitects.com) have kindly invited me to join an exciting community challenge. The challenge is in aid of the Architects Benevolent Society (ABS) (www.absnet.org.uk) who have teamed up with the international house building charity, Habitat for Humanity (http://www.habitat.org).

Thanks to the full support of Waterman Group and Waterman Environmental (www.watermangroup.co.uk), on 6 October, I will be flying out with a team of nine others to Bangalore, where we will be working one-to-one with local families in some of the poorest communities. The aim will be to assist with the building of homes and a decent place to live. Our task will be to raise the funds necessary for construction materials, and of course, to provide the hard graft.

Although we will be unable to build an entire house or community in just one week (each house requires approximately 3,500 volunteer hours, 4,876 nails, 500 pieces of timber and 20 gallons of paint - but we do promise to work very hard!), our contribution to the process will, over the long-term, benefit more than just the families we will work with. On completion, the houses will be sold at cost price with an interest fee ban. Loan repayments will then be channelled back into more house building and so the cycle will continue. The project will have the dual benefit of freeing up local people who currently invest hundreds of unpaid hours into building their own homes and those of their neighbours. Reducing this ‘sweat equity’ will enable communities to invest more time developing their own skills, businesses and local economies.

At the same time, we will also be raising money to care for members of the architectural profession who are in need of care here in the UK. A summary of the ABS’s functions are provided to the left of this page. As examples, the ABS has provided financial support to cancer patients who have suffered a loss of income and/or increased living costs as a result of their illness. Emotional support, counselling and financial assistance has also been provided to a 7 year old girl who is now cared for by her grandmother - her only surviving relative after a fatal car crash.

Prior to 4 October, I am aiming to raise a minimum of £3,000 in sponsorship. Any contribution to achieving this would be gratefully received and will go a long way to assist those in need. All you need to do is follow the simple instructions on this web page.

I will also be holding a charity event in due course, where I hope to raise more funds and say ‘thank you’ in person. Keep your ears and eyes peeled for further information.

Thank you for your support.