Having worked together for seven years and developing a very close friendship along the way, in March this year Abi and I found ourselves in San Francisco feeling exhausted after a very long week hosting events. It was International Women’s Day and we began to daydream in a rather jaded (possibly slightly tipsy) haze feeling proud of being a women and contemplating how we could push our own boundaries...

Roll on seven months and on 19th October we will swap our creature comforts and stiletto heels for hiking boots and backpacks to take on Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5896m! A big challenge bearing in mind hiking boots have not previously featured in our wardrobes and the highest point of altitude for us has involved rose wine and aperol spritz at the top of sunny ski slopes in Chamonix!

It's going to be tough and certainly not pretty however we are determined to push ourselves to the extreme, conquer fears, test our physical and mental strength..and friendship! We are not just doing this for our own personal achievements but to raise money and awareness for charities close to our hearts.

Mental health touches all of us in one way or another and this has been the case for my family over the years. At a time when mental health and well being is being talked about more than ever before there is far more we can do to raise awareness and money for this cause which is still not fully understood and is shamelessly under resourced and underfunded. Mind is just one of many charities which tackle the stigma and issues surrounding mental health.

Abi is fundraising for Legs4Africa, visit her page here: http://www.justgiving.com/AbiWaddington?utm_id=27

We are self-funding the whole trip (including a well earned mini break on the beaches of Zanzibar afterwards) therefore all donations will go straight to charity. If you can spare any money for these worthy causes, and to give us even more reason to succeed in this challenge, please kindly donate.

Wish us luck!

Amy