I've worked at Ruils for 9 years now and am incredibly proud of our work supporting 5,500 local Disabled people and their families each year. From helping children with SEND to get the support they need at school, to providing Befriending and accessible activities to Disabled people of all ages, my fantastic colleagues change people's lives every day.

This challenge has been 2 years in the making for me, and I'm pretty keen to get it done! Year 1 involved some promising training and then an ACL rupture and reconstruction surgery. Year 2 has involved crutches, lots of physio and a flare up of the Rheumatoid Arthritis in my right foot. Not ideal! It's going to hurt, and I'm probably not really ready, but here goes! I will be channelling my stubborn streak and what better place to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of my knee op than the summit of Ben Nevis?

Please bung me a fiver if you can, and every penny will go to the Ruils Counselling service which doesn't have any external funding and is much needed.

Counselling at Ruils provides a safe and supportive space for parents of disabled young people, or those who are disabled or have mental health conditions themselves, to discuss their concerns and find ways to cope. The service is unique as it is free of charge to access. It costs us £300 to deliver a series of 10 Counselling sessions to a client who needs support.

One client said:

“Feeling supported gives me the energy to keep going with life and handle the many complexities in it.”

Wish me luck and thanks for your support! xxx