As a Yorkshireman born and bred I have always had the stereotype follow me around of a person who is exceptionally tight with money: there is the old saying that "a Yorkshire man is a Scotsman with all the generosity squeezed out of him."

However, I am delighted to have the opportunity to share with you my story of the very unique and exciting challenges that lay ahead of me...and its ever-changing as the challenges continue. 

Originally, when turning the momentous age of 30 I decided to use it as an opportunity to show how generous the Yorkshire folk can be. We are a friendly but bloody-minded, stubborn and argumentative lot – think Monty Python Four Yorkshiremen sketch! This combination of features is what I relied upon over the proceeding 12 months in order to complete my challenges, including; military marches, marathons (fancy dress and carrying surfboards?!), assault courses, driving a LEGO car from Brighton to the Sahara Desert, World Record on a space hopper, zip slides, bungee jumps, skydives, cycle London-Paris in 24hrs, fire walking, Yorkshire 3 Peaks, half Ironman triathlon, Tough Guy, cycle Leeds-Liverpool canal in 12hrs... and the finale...running Hadrian's Wall + the Great North Run back-to-back in 24hrs (96 miles!)!

The challenge was to complete 30 endurance and adrenaline events, during my 30th year, to raise £30,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust. I ticked one box (30 events)...but I'm still gunning for the £30k. So, the challenges will continue until the target is reached. Hence, 30 GOING ON 30 (+.....)

There's never a good time to get cancer, but for a teenager the timing seems particularly cruel. Young people can get some of the most rare and aggressive forms of cancer. Their rapidly changing bodies can work against them, enabling the cancer to grow faster. Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for the six young people aged between 13 and 24 diagnosed with cancer every day. The TCT know that what they need to do is be treated together, by teenage cancer experts, in an environment tailored for them. The TCT develop specialist units within NHS hospitals that do just this. Every young person with cancer should have access to this specialist support, no matter where they live. Teenage Cancer Trust is dedicated to making it happen, but they need our support to do it!!!