My grandson, Benjamin (11), and I are raising money for Christian Aid's Silk and Saffron Appeal to empower women in rural communities in Afghanistan by helping them to earn money by producing silk and saffron. Between now and September we aim to climb ten Scottish hills with 'ben' in their name.

We support the aims of Christian Aid:

Everyone is equal in the sight of God. For over 75 years, this truth has inspired us to stand together in solidarity with our most marginalised global neighbours, of all faiths and none.

Poverty is an outrage against humanity. It robs people of their dignity and lets injustice thrive.

We seek to eradicate extreme poverty by tackling its root causes. Together with people living in poverty, we amplify our voices to speak truth to power and create lasting change.

BEN 1 - on Good Friday we hiked up Ben Aigan, one of our local hills. Great day - warm, overcast and calm.