Next week I’m taking on the challenge of a lifetime – hiking to Everest Base Camp at over 17,500 feet in the Himalayas. It’s going to push me mentally and physically but I’m doing it with three great friends and in aid of two incredible causes that mean a lot to me: the Braemar Mountain Rescue Team and Aberdeen FC Community Trust (AFCCT).

I spend much of my spare time in the spectacular Cairngorms National Park which has been the perfect training ground for this latest challenge. Fortunately, I’ve not yet needed to call on the rescue team, but they are real-life heroes, always ready to respond in some of Scotland’s most challenging terrain. Their dedication and experience saves lives, and they do it all voluntarily.

AFCCT does fantastic work improving lives through football and supporting health, education, and inclusion across the North-East of Scotland. I’ve spent the past six years supporting the work of AFCCT as a trustee and know first-hand just how valuable the Trust’s work is across local communities.

I’m asking friends, family and work colleagues to help me support them. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a difference. Whether it’s £5 or £50, your support will spur me on through every step (and altitude headache!) of the journey as we head from Kathmandu.