I’d first like to say thank you for giving your time to read this. As some of you may know, my Dad has been diagnosed with a rare inflammatory neurological brain disease called Rasmussen's Encephalitis, which causes frequent and severe seizures, loss of motor skills and speech, paralysis on one side of the body and dementia. He has been looked after by the Holy Cross Hospital in Haslemere since October 2011. The Hospital offers services that are not generally available locally through the National Health Service. In particular it has developed services for people with severe disability including such long-term conditions as head injury, brain damage or illness of the nervous system.

I will be taking part in a Tough Mudder event on Saturday 21 September in Powys, Wales to raise money for the charity Friends of Holy Cross. Unlike a marathon which is just a long distance running event, Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. To get through mud, fire, ice-water, and 10,000 volts of electricity, over 12 foot walls and through underground tunnels, I will need teammates to pick me up when my spirits dip. So I will not be doing this alone, there will be three other people (Scott Thomas, George Pope and Dan Salter) taking part in this with me and have also agreed to raise money for Holy Cross as well.

All donations will be gratefully received, and if we hit our target, myself Scott, George and Dan have all agreed to do the whole course in just a pair of shorts. More stipulations will be added depending on how much money we raise, so please, don't hold back on the donations.