Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

The School in a Bag initiative – which sees children across the globe receive a rucksack with everyday items which we would take for granted but are a lifeline for so many disadvantaged youngsters – was created as part of the Piers Simon Appeal based at Chilthorne Domer.

The PSA was formed following the tragic death of former Yeovil College and Preston School student Piers Simon, aged 33, who died in the Asian tsunami of Boxing Day 2004.

I was in the same year group as Piers at Preston and covered the story of my former school friend’s death while working on the former Yeovil Express free newspaper. It was the hardest story I've had to cover in more than 25 years of working as a local journalist.

A few years ago I raised nearly £500 for the PSA and SIAB after successfully giving up smoking for 12 months – I've now gone three-and-a-half years since quitting the habit.

Now I'm hoping to raise more money for the charity, which I have supported since it first started, by tackling the Three Peaks Challenge – walking up Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Mt Snowdon in Wales over August 11-15, 2015.

Your support for this mountainous challenge for me would be very, very much appreciated.

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.