One of the things I feel very passionate about is that everyone should have access to the arts irrespective of their background or their financial situation. Whether it's music, visual art, drama or creative writing, the world (in my opinion) becomes a better place if everyone is invited to take part, either as a practitioner or as a member of the audience.

As a writing teacher, I feel that everyone who wants to learn how to write should be given that opportunity, but writing courses like my #WriteBeyondTheLightbulb courses are an investment that many people simply can't afford, and in the current financial climate, the inaccessibility of opportunities is ramping up. I try to do what I can by offering my courses on a pay-what-you-can basis. But the demand is far greater than I can currently accommodate.

A place on the course costs £105. I currently have over 50 low-income writers on my wait list for free places and it would be lovely to offer a few of them a chance to take part.

I'd also like some of the money raised from this challenge to go towards levelling the playing field further afield. That's why I'm also doing this in support of Anno's Africa, a children's arts charity running educational arts projects for children living in slum conditions in Kenya and in cities and towns in Northern Malawi.

If you're able to sponsor me, even if it's just a few pennies, know that your donation will be making a huge difference and will put a smile on someone's face. Since I'm aiming to climb up and down my stairs 517 times, it would be brilliant to reach my goal of £1034 so that every stair climb adds £2 to the pot. And if the total goes higher than that, even better! Every penny counts!