In January 2020, I am taking part in the challenge of a lifetime as I head over to Tanzania for 10 days to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. 

Trekking Kilimanjaro is something I have been interested in doing since walking Hadrian's Wall last year to raise funds for Marie Curie.

I recently found out about the work Approach do through a friend of mine who has a relative living with dementia. They told me about the work Approach does in supporting individuals with the condition as well as their carers. I was immediately struck by their work and wanted to support them. Fundraising through a Kilimanjaro climb seemed an ideal way to do this. 

Approach relies entirely on fundraising and donations in order to provide their monthly Carers Cafes. These Cafes are held in a variety of locations across the City and are free for anyone affected by dementia to attend. The Cafes allow carers to meet new friends alongside professionals such as community nurses, support workers and specialist advisors. Advice is freely shared about how to care for their loved ones and it's a great environment where people can chat to others about what it's really like to care for someone. These cafes are a vital lifeline for many carers. 

Each Approach cafe costs £250, I am therefore hoping to raise £3000 in order to take care of the cost of my local Approach cafe in Bucknall for a whole year. This will ensure carers affected by dementia can access this most valuable service.

Since speaking to my friends about my upcoming fundraising venture, it has come to light that so many of them are personally affected by dementia, having either a relative or friend with the condition. It has really opened my eyes up to how many people are someway affected; just in my local area. I therefore hope that as well as financially supporting Approach, I can also raise awareness of dementia and allow more people to find about what services are available to them locally.   

Thank you for visiting my JustGiving page and for taking the time to read my story. Any amount you can give will be gratefully received and 100% of all donations will stay within Stoke-on-Trent to support local people. 

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.