Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 

On 20 April 2013 I will journey through Morocco from the edge of Africa’s Sahara desert, to the peak of Mount Mgoun, the second highest mountain in the Atlas Ranges, helping my young friend Philip

 

Philip is the son of friends of mine who I was in business with for many years. Almost 10 years ago to the day, at the age of 20, he was in a coma for two months following a horrific accident in 2003 when he was hit by a motorcycle. His family received the worst possible news: due to brain damage suffered in the accident, he would not walk again and was expected to lead a dramatically limited life. His throat was partially paralysed and I had lost the ability to breathe, speak and eat as well.

 

However with a lot of hard work and determination, he has spent the last 10 years working to regain as much of his strength and physical and mental ability I can. He still has problems with short term memory but, with help from speech therapists, I learnt to speak again.

 

Phil and I are taking on the challenge to raise funds for Farnborough-based Parity for Disability, who provide services for people with profound and multiple disabilities.

 

Philip and I have been walking together most weekends to prepare for the trek including weekends in Snowdonia, the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales as well as locally in Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey.  It is simply amazing what Philip has achieved.  As a schoolboy before the accident I took him to spend weekends in Yorkshire at my sister’s house near Sheffield to go for long walks in the High Moors of the Peak District.  After the accident I never expected to be able to walk with Philip on the hills ever again.  The picture shows both of us just below the summit of Bleaklow in the Peak District taken in February of this year.  The word is I know somewhat overused but I feel that it is little short of a miracle that we are now able to go fell-walking together once again

 

Parity must raise £150,000 each year to keep going, and hopes to raise £10,000 with this event. In the difficult economic climate, support from the community is even more crucial to the charity, whose highly specialised services for profoundly disabled people with complex needs are not available anywhere else in Hampshire, Surrey or Berkshire.

 

“A trek is a life-changing and hugely rewarding challenge. Everyone who takes part in a trek for Parity comes back with amazing stories and a real sense of achievement,” said Parity Fundraising Manager Helene Abbiss.

So please dig deep and donate now.