I don't do marathons. Climbing mountains appears to be beyond me. My idea of exercise involves a brisk game of chess next to an open window. So I'm embarking on a different type of challenge altogether.

I'm aiming to write a complete 50,000-word novel from scratch. And I intend to do it all in the month of November.

Proper writers (i.e. those with talent) take years to do this sort of thing. The end result may not be pretty. But it's for a great cause. Mind is the leading mental health charity for England & Wales.

As an added incentive, the first ten people to donate will get a character in the novel named after themselves. Immortality at last!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.