what's it all for?

At the age of 48, I could not swim. Then I announced to everyone, I was going to face my biggest fear and learn to swim, in order to swim the Channel. After 3 years of learning I took on the challenge. Raising awareness for ocean plastic and helping two charities along the way - Please see my story below 

Having taken on the challenge to learn to swim and take on the English Channel, which I was meant to do in 2020. The pandemic tried its hardest to put a stop to my plans. But, not wanting to let my chosen charities down, I built a makeshift swimming pool in the back garden of my local pub and swam for 8hrs straight and estimated roughly the length of the Channel.

In 2018, I lead a team up onto  the shoulders of Everest. 7000m on the North Col of Everest, where we now hold the Guinness World Record. This was following an earlier attempt back in 2015, when the mission was stopped, because we were caught up in the worst earthquake disaster Nepal had ever seen - Please see my story below 

This was my first ever Ultra Marathon - The route was from Lawknor to Avebury and is the UK's oldest pathway. A total of 100km, with an elevation of 3704ft

Toubkal is North Africa's highest mountain set in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco (4167m). The team and I did it in the heat of the summer climbing through the night to be on the summit for the early morning.  

One year to the exact date that I survived the earthquake of Everest, I took on and completed the Marathon de Paris. I took on this challenge for many reasons, but once again proving anything is possible with the right mind set. Please see my story below.

Having trained for 5 years, I finally got my chance to try and summit Everest, plus try and break the world record for the highest dinner party ever held on the shoulders of Everest. Everything was going to plan, I had some of the best climbers in the world with me, I was the fittest I'd ever been, then whilst heading for ABC, I was caught up in the worst earthquake the Himalayas had ever seen. Please see my story below.

As part of my training for Everest, I took on many different challenges to build up stamina, strength and mental agility. This included an 8 day trek across the ice and sand deserts of Iceland in 2013. It was an amazing trip, as the landscape and weather was so different each day of the trek. We camped all the way, carrying our gear as we walked. 

In 2021, I was fortunate to be put on garden leave from work, as I was in between starting a new job and so had 3 months to hike around the UK. One of the challenges I set myself, was to walk the length of Hadrian's wall in 5 days, again camping along route, taking in the old Roman sites along the way. This was an incredible journey and we were lucky with the weather, as it did not rain at all whilst we were on the route.  

On my 40th Birthday, I stood on the summit of Island Peak in the Khumbu Region of Nepal in the Himalayas (6160m). I helped to raise funds for a local Nepalese village in the remote areas of the Himalayas. 

Mera Peak in the Hinku Valley Region of Nepal in the Himalayas (6476m). Again this was to raise funds for the mountain people of Nepal, helping Juway Village. Please see my story below.

Everest Base Camp (5364m). This is where it all began for me and where my story starts. A charity walk for Diabetes UK, that first was a challenge and then lead me on my path way to adventure and making a difference along the way and finding purpose. Please see my story below.