As well as collecting "pre-loved Christmas trees" for a fiver in the New Year there have been other fundraising initiatives ...not the least being my husband making wonderful raised pork pies for sale!!

Originally the money which I raised has gone towards bursaries for children to attend Issenye Secondary School. Issenye School is in a very poor area, with educational challenges, on the edge of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. When young people become educated their futures brighten and from these important beginnings small family enterprises can be set up. Also some of the money I have raised has gone to supporting a Safe House for girls, as young as 13, experiencing the FGM culture and its consequences.

Towards the end of July I am visiting Mara and I will see first hand some of the difficulties and challenges that the people there face in their everyday lives. So, I now want to raise money here in the UK that I can use, following my visit, to support a particular project which I will have experienced first hand.

Would you sponsor me to trek up Kilimanjaro which is 6000 metres, just short of 20,000 feet? There is not much oxygen towards the top so I am just praying that I dont fall ill due to High Altitude Sickness. It is also very cold, -10 degrees C. But I have been training as much as I can in order that I make the very best effort to complete. I set off to the summit witrh guides and porters and tents on Tuesday 7 August and should be at the summitt on 13 August. Please pray for me, my feet, the guides, the porters, any others who are on the same trek, and of course for the project which I will be supoprting and for all of the people who live in Mara, in Tanzania.

All money sent to Leeds Diocese earmarked for these two projects will be sent to Mara in its entirety.

Please help me to help them.