I'll be completely honest and admit that when I signed up to take part in this trek, I had not given it a huge amount of thought - other than 'if Chris Moyles can do it, surely I can....??'

Now I've had time to read, digest and consider a little of what this trek will involve I am more than aware of how difficult it will be, both mentally and physically (I have read people have died from exploding eardrums whilst trying to reach the summit....), but I still cannot wait to do it and will be a huge personal challenge and success if I manage to complete it - and with eardrums intact.

I go on Sat 13th Feb so at the time of this update I now have only 3 days to go until I set off on what I keep being told will be the adventure of a lifetime!  I am getting really excited, if not a little nervous about what those 10 days will have in store.  I have my kit bag ready and almost packed, and walking boots polished to within an inch of their life.  I have my holistic medical supplies ready, as well as the drug packed NHS supplies ready to attack any onslaught of Altitude Sickness.  Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and whatever you are able to donate really will be much appreciated.

I became aware of the work of Dasiy Chain after involvment with the charity through our company.  The charity quite simply provides a lifeline for children with autism as well as their parents and siblings.  Having children can be hard work but I try to stop and count my own blessings a lot more after seeing what many families that the Daisy Chain helps have to struggle with on a daily basis.  Many parents have said they really thought they would be unable to go on until the Daisy Chain came into their lives.  At Daisy Chain the vision is to provide a range of support measures that take account of the needs of the whole family rather than just the child who has autism because autism has such a big impact on the whole family. They support parents, carers and siblings too through the provision of respite care and the opportunity to talk with other parents and siblings in the same position as themselves.

It is a fantastic centre that still has many more plans and ambitions it wants to see through to fruition, which is why I have set an ambitious target of £5000 as the money raised really will go a huge way to helping the visions become a reality.

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please if you are able, donate now.  Thank you very much for whatever you are able to donate.  Claire x