Hello! Thank you for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page. We will be participating in a trek across the South Downs to raise funds for the Basingstoke North Hants Hospital, Special Care Baby Unit. This charity is close to my heart as they provide exceptional care and support to patients and their families during difficult times.

As someone who has personally experienced the impact of their work helping both my sons when they were born 5 and 6 weeks early, I am grateful for what they did in those first weeks of their lives, and I am doing what I still can to support their work.

Having raised funds in the first few years after their births, and with my eldest son nearing 21 now and youngest son finishing school this spring, I felt it was time to give back again and do what I can, along with a group of my oldest friends, and eldest son, to get through it.

We’re expecting this to be a 12 hours, 25 mile hike from Lewes to Eastbourne along the South Downs Way, the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head.

Our goal is to raise £1500, which will go towards providing vital resources and equipment for the hospital, as they desperately need breast pumps, and it’s recommended that every cot space on a neonatal unit should have an electric breast pump available.

This allows mums to express milk for their baby, next to their baby. Breastmilk is like a medicine for sick and premature babies preventing infections, aiding brain growth and development, reducing the incidence of common preterm disease such as chronic lung disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and retinopathy of prematurity.

They cost approximately £2.5k per Breast Pump and currently 4 are needed for the unit, so it’s clear how much it takes to keep the ward running daily.

And equally important, this hike is about raising awareness about men’s mental health, because as blokes, we’re still seen as having to be strong and in control, but I and friends have struggled with various battles and it needs to be seen more, that’s ok to not be ok.

The training walks we’ve been doing recently have helped me immensely and the camaraderie and memories built over the years in the mountain climbs or long hikes we’ve completed together cannot be underestimated.

We would be incredibly grateful if you could support us in this journey by making a donation through JustGiving. Donating is simple, fast, and secure - your details are safe with JustGiving and they will never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Your contribution will make a significant difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Thank you again for your time and consideration. Together, we can make a positive impact on our community.