I’m swapping central heating for snow boots – and it’s all for a brilliant cause! 

This winter, I’m taking on the Arctic Challenge — a wilderness endurance adventure that includes dog sledding, ice fishing, hiking, and trying not to get eaten by a polar bear before I reach the bar at the ice hotel. 🐾🍸

Now, I’m not exactly a cold-weather enthusiast. I think “sub-zero” should only apply to cocktails. So yes, this is going to be a serious challenge for me — physically, mentally, and thermally. But I’m doing it for a cause.

I’m raising money for the National Literacy Trust, a brilliant charity working to close the literacy gap for children growing up in the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. On average, these children start school 19 months behind their peers — and that gap affects everything from education to employment to mental health.

As someone who’s dyslexic, I know how tough learning can be when the odds feel stacked against you. I was lucky to have support. Many kids don’t — and that’s where the National Literacy Trust steps in. They provide vital literacy programmes, books, and one-to-one support to help children build the skills and confidence they need to thrive.

Here’s why it matters:

Children from poorer backgrounds are five times more likely to fall behind in English by age 11

Four times more likely to be unemployed at 34

Three times more likely to experience mental health challenges as adults

So if you fancy supporting a brilliant cause and watching me try to survive the Arctic with all ten fingers and toes intact, please donate. Every pound helps.....

Thanks for your support (and your sympathy for my frozen fingers)!