I have decided to raise money and awareness for a charity very close to my heart, Remembering Srebrenica.

During the Balkan conflict of 1992-1995, the Bosnian town of Srebrenica was declared a UN Safe Area in 1993, under the watch of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR).  In July 1995, General Ratko Mladić and his Bosnian Serb paramilitary units overran and captured the town, despite its designation as an area “free from any armed attack or any other hostile act”. In the days following Srebrenica’s fall, more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were systematically massacred and buried in mass graves. Thousands of women, children and elderly people were forcibly deported and a large number of women were raped. It was the greatest atrocity on European soil since the Second World War. To find out more please click https://www.srebrenica.org.uk/

In January 2016, Remembering Srebrenica took me out to Bosnia and Herzegovina on a ‘Lessons of Srebrenica’ Delegation. I visited Srebrenica and met the mothers, daughters, wives and sisters who had lost an entire generation of their male relatives. The experience is something I will remember for the rest of my life. 

Remembering Srebrenica now works with survivors to raise awareness of the genocide and use the lessons we can learn from this atrocity to fight intolerance and discrimination. Almost 22 years on, the effects of the genocide are still apparent and devastating, yet genocide denial remains widespread. Remembering Srebrenica works to make sure that those who died are not forgotten, and that we do not let history repeat itself. In these turbulent political times, promoting tolerance and cohesion is more relevant than ever; Remembering Srebrenica looks to highlight the importance of acknowledging that we have more in common than that which divides us.

In order to fundraise for this amazing cause, I have managed to convince my boyfriend, father and brother to join me in climbing each of the National Three Peaks. The highest mountain of each country - Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales. Not only this, but we are aiming to climb all three within 24 hours (including the drive between each mountain!!!). Please donate what you can and wish us luck!