On 23rd June, my son James and I will be joining the "Rallye Du Soleil", a 2000 plus mile drive through France, Switzerland then into northern Italy, and back in order to raise much needed funds for Teesside Hospice.

The Hospice needs to raise £6000 a day in order to provide the incredibly important job it does, supporting people and families affected by terminal illness.

I'm sure we all know people either directly or indirectly who have benefitted from the care the Hospice and its staff provide, and if you don't yet, it is an unfortunate probability that you will in future.

This is a cause I feel strongly about, and I am aiming, hopefully significantly, to exceed the £2000 per car target that the Hospice have asked participants to raise.