For those that don’t already know me I am a 41 year old single mum (to my nearly 17 year old daughter) and a bit of a workaholic. I love a challenge and always try my best in whatever I undertake.

Like many other people I know, I forget to remind myself how lucky I am to have my family, friends, work, my health and a roof over my head. It's just too easy to take things for granted and having more than one job often feels like I'm on the rat run/hamster wheel and I'm losing my whole purpose in life. This is exactly what causes a lot of mental health issues due to the pressures of life in the western world.

For a while now, I've needed to shake myself up and remind myself in a bigger way, just how lucky I actually am. I want to reinvigorate my purpose and be grateful for this amazing life I have.

Rather than sweating the small stuff, I’m going to sweat some proper big issues by giving to people that don’t have the things that I sometimes take for granted.

Volunteering and charity work has always been something I’ve loved to be involved in, and when I heard about Steven’s experiences in Uganda, it really struck a chord. How devastated he felt at the sight of children dying at the side of the road, hearing of boys tortured by police and seeing the scars inflicted with his own eyes. Then how a project called Amari, Uganda inspired him to set up Run for Child Poverty.

Steven is preparing to run 4000km across Africa to raise money for homeless children. I will be cycling the distance alongside Steven in support of this mammoth undertaking covering approximately 2500 miles (similar distance from London to The North Pole) to cross the continent in less than 90 days. As if that wasn’t hard enough, temperatures will sore well over 40 degrees and the risk of disease and the encounters with dangerous wildlife are ever-present.

With your help, Run for Child Poverty can build Amari Uganda a long-term home, with enough land to farm food for the children. Projects like this do not get the support they deserve. Founders - Martin and JB (ex homeless children themselves) - are now both adults, fighting to save the lives of children on the streets. They feed the children, put clothes on their backs and use sports such as football and athletics to develop their talents and find them sponsors to help pay for an education.

This is such an amazing and truly worthy cause. There's now a gruelling challenge ahead (no turning back now) but knowing I will be doing something amazing to help those who can only imagine a life like mine is going to be what spurs me on.

There will be no hotels. We will travel with a 4x4 vehicle and our accommodation will be a tent and camp beds. We will not be able to shower for weeks at a time (yep! I’m going to stink for sure!). I will be stepping into the unknown, completely out of my comfort zone. But hopefully we can raise enough money so that we can build Amari the long-term home that they desperately need ensuring they can can carry on saving children from extreme adversity for many years to come.

Please support me by sponsoring me with as little or as much as you can! 100% of the funds we raise will go directly to the cause.

Thank you so much for your kindness.