In January 2025 I - along with three other tms superwomen - will be undertaking a wilderness endurance challenge in the heart of Arctic Lapland. Held over a long weekend this will incorporate a 35km dog sled race, 20km Nordic ski, ice fishing, orienteering and woodland fire lighting to raise money for the National Literacy Trust. A nice challenge for someone who’s never skied before… gulp!!

The Arctic is a beautiful but harsh environment and temperatures can drop to as low as -35c or more (!!!), and is likely to feel even colder. The sun doesn’t rise above the horizon from late November to mid-January and we will have approximately five to six hours of twilight per day. As a result, a large portion of the main events will be undertaken in near darkness, adding to the challenge!! We will sleep in a wilderness lodge, lit by candlelight and kept warm by wood burning stoves.

My recent venture into the publishing industry has enlightened me to the amazing work that The National Literacy Trust undertake - a cause that is very close to all our hearts.

Did you know that 1 in 5 children in the UK do not own a book of their own? Reading and writing are fundamental skills that impact every aspect of life, from education and employment to health and well-being. Your donation will help to transform the life stories of children living in disadvantaged communities in the UK.

On average, children from the poorest backgrounds start school with literacy skills which are 19 months behind their more privileged peers.

Children without these skills are held back at every stage of their lives. They are:

• Five times more likely to fail to meet the expected standards in English at age 11

• Four times more likely to struggle to read as adults

• Twice as likely to be unemployed aged 34

• Three times more likely to have mental health problems as adults

Please give what you can to help this worthy cause (and support me to take on the extreme COLD… brrr!)