I walked into the hall of Addlestone Salvation Army on a Sunday morning in February 2019. At the time, I was in my first year outside of full time education, working as a delivery driver. I was quite lost in terms of what I wanted to do with my life, struggling with loneliness, anxiety and depression. The Salvation Army gave me another support network, a new community to be a part of and enabled me to find a purpose in life. More importantly than the support they gave me, I witnessed the support others received from The Salvation Army. I have volunteered with the Sally Army to deliver food parcels to people living in poverty, provide help and encouragement to people with drug/alcohol addictions, provide food and shelter for homeless, supervise during holiday clubs for children & lunch clubs for older people and transport to safehouses for victims of modern slavery / human trafficking.

This year I have decided to walk a little further than my local Salvation Army hall and trek to the highest point in North Africa, Mount Toubkal (12,700ft).

This once in a lifetime adventure will allow trekkers to take on the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and summit its highest peak. The funds raised by trekkers will be directed towards the Salvation Army's work with homeless people and the victims of human trafficking. The Salvation Army meets the immediate needs of people who have to sleep rough or on the streets. A number of our lifehouses offer emergency accommodation to people who have nowhere else to stay.The accommodation is safe and secure and the staff on duty are available to support the individual through the night. In most lifehouses, free meals are provided and the individual is able to keep warm and feel safe for the night.In support of the victims of human trafficking, the Salvation Army has developed community based Modern Slavery Hubs which provide survivors of modern slavery with a link to their local community and signposting to the range of available support they may need.