Throughout August, I’ll be taking on one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever attempted: completing all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District in a single month.

That means covering approximately 320 miles and climbing around 36,000 metres, or 118,000 feet, of elevation. It is a huge challenge, and I’ll be spending almost every weekend, as well as several days I’ve booked off work, trying to complete all 214 of the scary whoppers.

I’m excited, but I’m also incredibly nervous. I’m not starting the challenge as fit as I would ideally like to be, and I know there will be some very difficult days ahead. However, I’m doing it for a cause that is extremely close to my heart: Dementia UK.

As many of you will know, my dad, Keith, is living with dementia. He has now reached a point where he is unable to carry out any activities independently and needs support with every part of day-to-day life.

When we talk about dementia, we understandably focus on the person living with the condition. However, the impact reaches much further. It affects partners, children, relatives and everyone who provides care and support day after day. The emotional and practical strain on families can be enormous.

That is why the work of Dementia UK is so important. They provide specialist support, guidance and reassurance to families living with the reality of dementia every day.

I’m doing this challenge for my family, and especially for my mum and dad. My dad is facing the effects of dementia every day, while my mum has had to take on the enormous responsibility of caring for and supporting him. I want to do something positive that recognises what they are both going through and helps other families facing similar circumstances.

This challenge is going to push me physically and mentally, but thinking about my mum, my dad and all the other families affected by dementia will keep me moving forward.

Please donate whatever you can. Every donation, no matter the amount, will make a genuine difference and will mean a great deal to me and my family.