Hi there. Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

Come the end of October, if I haven't broken a leg or something beforehand, I'm hoping to do the trek to Everest Base Camp to raise money for  SENSE Scotland. Why am I doing this again? Well they need the money obviously - now more than ever. Not sure that this time I could readily raise the full amount of sponsorship,  I've taken the slightly different route of paying for the whole excursion so that although I have no target as such , SENSE will get all I can raise.  And of course on the way I get to see the scenery, which I’m told is fantastic. Base camp itself on the other hand looks a bit of a tip to say the least, clearly without a regular bin collection. However the idea is that we don’t hang around there very long but go back a bit to plod up a little peak of 18,300 feet next day (everything’s relative) - where you get a grandstand view of the monster mountain itself.  If it’s clear.

Getting to base camp involves 13 days out on the march. Food on the way is all veggie and the loos, I'm told, are invariably of the "le trou dans le terrain” type that the French used to be so fond of. Despite this, I’m looking forward to it. Better still it seems that all the jags I was given for Peru  are still effective, so I need precisely none for Nepal. Just bring plenty of Immodium they say. Needing to be fit as I can, training has been in full swing all summer and autumn but in the end this amounts just to bashing up a hill at the weekend and a bike run during the week after work - (often followed by pub grub and a couple of pints.) Introduced more variety in the training this time ranging from a final Munro party on hills up the west coast in a mighty wind, to horizontal rain equally enjoyed by my brother Arn. in the Lake district, to a great, amazingly calm day on the Ben with Vicki and Angela, two friends from the 2007 Peru trip. And who can forget the zillions of clegs encountered on Ben Vrackie with Lynda and Colin -another two of the Peru crew.  

Let me say a little about Sense. Up to school-leaving age, multiply handicapped children fall within the education system. But what happens after that? Basic care relies on the local authority - some "cobble something together", some of the children are left back at home with parents who find it very hard to cope, and some without parents can end up in hospital for years for there as nowhere else to go. SENSE was formed by parents in the 1970s to provde something better, initially for the deaf blind, and it has since grown into a much larger organisation able to care for increased numbers with different multiple handicaps.They add that extra dimension providing not just care but interests and involvement, stimulation and companionship - essentially -a meaningful life. They have done this for  Richard my eldest boy for a long time now. They rely on donations to do this and I commend them to you. Thankyou for anything you can give.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Sense Scotland 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!

PS Colin - thankyou for your donation. Helen and Marjorie - you also.And in the office here Jock,Len, Richard Gillian, Colin, Debbie, big Roy, Sheila, Davina and Jane. Hope I haven't forgotten anyone.