Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and I’d be very grateful if you are able to support the work of the Albion Foundation.

Being able to witness the incredible achievements of my chosen charity over recent months has been a humbling experience. The Foundation works with the most disadvantaged and disabled, locally in the West Midlands, but also internationally in countries such as India, Kenya & Nigeria.

Here are three areas of their work which have inspired me to help:

Disability Sport Supporting over 3,000 disabled people through a range of over 80 disabilities, both physical and mental.  Providing facilities, equipment & coaching for sports for the blind & physically disabled and facilitating team activities for young people battling mental health issues are examples of the way the Foundation transforms lives. I’ll never forget the joy on the face of one severely disabled youngster I recently saw score for his Powerchair football team!

Education and Engagement Raising the aspirations, self-esteem & confidence of some of the most disadvantaged children. A range of programmes such as mentoring and improving attainment with children in care or foster homes and deploying 'Inspire Coaches' into schools. My niece, Emily, speaks with unbridled passion about the impact that the Foundation has in the school where she teaches.

Dementia Support Through it's 'Memories Programme' the Foundation has received international recognition for its work with those suffering from various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

There is so much more that I could share with you. The 165 staff &145 volunteers make a real difference to literally thousands of people every single week of the year. There is no direct funding from the football club, so I'm aiming to do what I can to help provide support. This will be a challenging trek on un-renovated parts of the Great Wall of China, for a minimum of seven hours a day over crumbling rock and steep stairs, taking on high climbs with sheer drops either side and spending nights in basic lodges along the way. I'm self funding my participation so 100% of the money raised will directly benefit the charity.

Thank you for reading my story and I hope that you can help.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.