The 5 Peaks Challenge for Help for Heroes

Arial;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">"It's about the 'blokes', our men and women

of the Armed Forces. It's about Derek, a rugby player who has lost both his legs, it's about Carl whose jaw

is wired up so he has been drinking through a straw. It's about Richard who was

handed a mobile phone as he lay on the stretcher so he could say goodbye to his

wife. It's about Ben, it's about Steven and Andy and Mark, it's about them all. They are just blokes but they are our

blokes; they are our heroes. We want to help our heroes."

In

July 2012 I will be doing a Help for Heroes challenge called the five

peaks.  The challenge covers over

17,000ft of ascent, 40 miles of mountain paths, 800 miles of tarmac, crosses 4

national borders and one sea as I take on Snowdon in Wales, Scafell Pike in

England, Ben Nevis in Scotland, Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland and

Carrantuohill in the Republic of Ireland.

Why do a challenge like this, and why for Help

for Heroes?

Why do the challenge?  Well a quote from Sir Edmund Hilary comes to

mind "It's not the mountain we

conquer, but ourselves." Just over five years ago I was diagnosed with

ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  At that

time I was walking about 20 yards with two sticks.  Some people with ME are bed bound for

years.  Personally I'm too stubborn for

that and so since then I've been working hard to keep moving and keep working.  So its time for a real challenge so I can

prove to myself despite my ME I can still achieve something.

Why Help for Heroes?  My brother

is a Squadron Leader in the RAF and has been over to Afghanistan four times

now, in fact he's over there as I am typing this.  He hasn't needed Help for Heroes and fingers

crossed he never will but many people have done.  This charity works

on projects and initiatives that make a real difference to the lives of our

wounded heroes.  I also love their 'Money

In and Money Out' policy that ensures every penny raised is spent or allocated

to the direct, practical support of our men and women of the Armed Forces whose

lives are affected in the line of duty. 

On a local level the Colchester

Personnel Recovery Centre is a new build centre

within the garrison at Colchester. Help for Heroes (H4H) have agreed a deed of

grant with the MoD to provide up to £6 million for the capital build of the

centre.  The operating costs of the

centre are to be funded by H4H with support from The Royal British Legion, who

has committed £550,000 per annum over the ten year period, with a projected

additional contribution of £200,000 per annum from H4H. The MoD has also

committed to the centre.

Throughout

my training, fundraising and even during the walk itself I am going to attempt

to keep a blog going for those of the internet inclination at http://5peaks.blogspot.com/.  This is my

first blog so be gentle with me.  Feel

free to follow my posts and add your own comments.  Many of you will most likely see me out and

about with my mad Springer Spaniel called Freddie, whether around Little and Great

Waltham, and also Hylands Park.  So if

you think it's me come and say hello

During

2011 I have been raising money for Help for Heroes.  Firstly in April doing the London Marathon

dressed as He-Man (don't ask) and then in November doing what I called Mr B's

Madcap Month (photo to the right from Survival of the Fittest in Battersea)

where I did four muddy adventure races in four weeks.

For

this amazing 5 Peaks challenge I have a target of £1300.  My fundraising page is http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge so please do sponsor me

and support our heroes.  Any online payment means we can claim Gift Aid which gets us even more

money back from the ta