So far I have raised £90, thanks to three generous donations, and I am hoping for continued support.

On Sunday, 14 May 2023 I will be abseiling off Kings Mill Viaduct to raise money to support the valuable work of my two appointed charities, Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance and Grantham Canal Water Restoration Group.

Your donations help save lives.

The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance is one of those charities whose services I used following a riding accident in 2003. I am therefore very aware of the value their services provide to rural communities and urban areas, where they help supplement aid to the regular ambulance service now able to fly 24/7, all without Government support. They are therefore very reliant upon charitable donations. A flight costs in the region of £3,500 - that was before the fuel increases. It therefore takes many thousands to keep this service flying for you – every little helps.

My other extremely worthy cause, which again does not qualify for Government or tax payer support, is the Grantham Canal Water Restoration Group. (GCWRG). I helped set up this group in 2019/2020 to raise awareness of the serious loss of water in the canal due to broken culverts, blocked feeders and excessive reed growth. The Nottingham to Grantham canal has become of particular importance to physical and mental health providing a free environmental and leisure corridor through Rushcliffe and on into the Vale of Belvoir. This became very evident during the pandemic when people from across Nottinghamshire came to walk by the waterway. So important is exercise beside water that Doctors are Blue prescribing, in some small part helping relieve the burden on the NHS.

As a group, we are seeking to raise awareness and funds to help with the maintenance of the canal which requires a lot of money, whilst lobbying at the same time, other agencies and authorities, in particular DEFRA and the Government, endeavouring to get remainder waterways, such as the Grantham Canal, reclassified as environmental and leisure corridors. This would help access to additional funding streams.

To date we have had some success in working with volunteers from Grantham Canal Society and the Canal and River Trust in repairing two broken culverts near Kinoulton so water levels appear to be rising in Hickling Basin and along the Kinoulton stretch of water. We have also received a further contribution from Rushcliffe Borough Council, towards Reed clearance.

So please help us continue this work which will benefit the environment and the health of the community.