"Good on you, but I wouldn't want to do it myself" is the normal reaction I receive when I tell people what I'm about to do.  In August 2017 I'll be stepping onto a 70' racing yacht in Liverpool and won't be back in the UK until July 2018 having covered over 40,000 miles of ocean.  And it's not all G&Ts and Jane McDonald either, this is proper ocean racing - no concessions to comfort; no captain's table, no casino and no pool.

So, what makes the land-locked, fat kid at the back of the class sign up for perhaps one of the most extreme challenges it's possible to take on?  I'm not sure I know.  The further through life I go though, the more I realise that we should all grab every opportunity that presents itself, see as much of the world we can and, above all, be kind to ourselves and each other.

Whilst this is very much a personal journey, I'd be overjoyed if you could find it in your hearts to be kind to humanity by making a small donation to the race charity, Unicef.  The short-term discomfort I will experience in the raging Southern Ocean or the dismal greyness of the North Pacific is nothing compared to the truly horrific conditions in which children around the world continue to live, sometimes to barely survive.  Any amount, no matter how small, will go a long way to making someone's life better.

Thank you for reading, thank you in advance for your donation and I look forward to seeing you all on the other side!

Mark

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.