The Arctic Challenge is a wilderness endurance challenge, incorporating activities like dog sledding, ice fishing, a 20km hike in the snow and darkness and sleeping in a cabin with no electricity or running water... all in -30C degrees temperatures.

As most will know, I'm one for the warm sun, beach, and I'm not particularly fit - so definitely need to prepare for this, for me it will undoubtedbly be a huge challenge, and so I'm asking for donations (big or small!).

The money I raise though will help to transform the lives of children in the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. On average, children from the poorest backgrounds start school 19 months behind their more privileged peers. Children without the expected level of literacy 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 be unemployed aged 34

- three times more likely to have mental health problems as adults.

As someone who is very academic, and who values my education, I think every child should have the right to a good level of education too - please support me in helping to make that happen, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.

Huge thank you!