Hiking the Appalachian Trail has been my dream since I was a child and I read the most famous/infamous book about it, A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson.

There is never a perfect time to do a six-month thru-hike, and mid-career is not always recommended, but I just felt that the time is now.

The trip is fully self-funded, so no fundraising will come my way or be used by me, it will all go directly to the absolutely brilliant folks over at Positive About Down Syndrome.

After the success that was my Skye Trail hike, in which we raised over £600, I'm going bold and setting my sights on £2200 - £1 per mile on the trail (the exact length changes year to year and is usually officially around 2190).

The trip is dedicated to everyone in the community, whether that's a person with DS, someone who is raising a child or caring for a family member with DS or another person who has made a difference in the community.

There will of course be an extra mile hiked to align with my ethos of One Extra Mile, where I save it for our closest personal DS crew, the Sheahans; Marcie, Ember, Holli and Jamie, who have done so much to show us how amazing people with DS are and also the challenges they face.

A special mention to Paul (trail name Papa Paul) who is Marcie and Ember's grandad. He has blazed a trail, tackling hundreds of miles of the AT already for the same cause. His help and advice leading up to this trip have been invaluable.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.