City of London Circle is taking on an epic challenge. Over the next couple of months we will be walking/running the distance from Land's End to John O'Groats - 1,083 miles (1,743 km) in support of young women in Sierra Leone.

Why have we chosen to undertake this challenge? Ladies Circle is an organisation with international reach and City of London Circle in particular always been a diverse group of women with members from various corners of the world and various walks of life. That's why supporting an international cause, with the empowerment of women and girls at its heart felt like the ideal fit.

To have maximum impact we have decided to focus our fundraising on a discreet project - the AdAmi Project, a small but mighty initiative which works in rural Sierra Leone (one of the poorest countries in the world). Marginalisation, inequality and violence against women is a worldwide problem but its effects can be seen visibly in Sierra Leone where statistics highlight that 50% of females face sexual or physical violence during their lifetime.

£20 could help support a young woman's schooling including the cost of her uniform and stationary.

£25 could help support a young mother to pursue full-time vocational training, in popular local vocations including tailoring and hairdressing.

£50 could pay for a grant for a young mother to set up her own business, helping her to be financially independent for years to come

AdAmi provides a lifeline for young mothers aged 14-25 in the most dire circumstances, providing educational and/or employment support, support to set up their own businesses, sexual and reproductive health, coaching and mentoring, as well as family support. It's a comprehensive package which is designed to create meaningful and lasting change and empower these girls to become changemakers in their wider communities. To find out more about AdAmi, check out https://www.adamiproject.org/

The charity has been known to our Chair for years, who has travelled to Sierra Leone and was profoundly moved by what she saw and the grit, strength, resilience, warmth and generosity of the women she met.

Please give what you can to our challenge. Your support will be a great boost and help us continue to lace up our walking boots and keep going especially when the rainy days and darker evenings kick in. And crucially it will help transform the lives of these girls and their children. Ultimately your support will create a lasting legacy which continues to have ripple effects for years and years to come.

Thanks for your generosity!