In November last year, the Princes Trust came in to CSC to present the work they do. I was inspired to help them. The Trust is the UK's leading Youth Charity helping to change young lives.  Around one in five young people in the UK are not in work, education or training.  Youth unemployment costs the UK economy £10million a day in lost productivity, while youth crime costs £1 billion every year. Offering support and guidance to more than 40,000 disadvantaged youngsters, the Trust helps to develop skills and confidence, and gives them a chance to improve their lives: away from the streets, away from drugs, and gives them some purpose and direction.  Some of the stories of the youngsters helped by the Trust are truly inspiring.  But to continue this work, the Princes Trust needs to raise £1 million each and every week.

One way they do this is to rely on people like you and me stepping up to challenges, like the one I have committed to take part in - the Borneo "Summit to Sea" challenge.  And I need your help  - I need to raise £3,500 for the Trust so I am hoping that you will be able to contribute some of this!  So what am I letting myself in for, and why should you put your hand in your pockets?

I am leading a team of six from my company, CSC, to climb Borneo's Mount Kinabalu, South East Asia's highest mountain and then to trek, cycle and white-water raft to Borneo's coast on the South China Sea.  This should take us 7 days in total and will be hot, humid, physically demanding with long days, trekking for 10 hours a day and summitting Kinabalu at 3am.  Temperatures in Borneo at that time of year range from -20 degrees on the summit to +39 degrees (108 degrees fahrenheit), with 80%-90% humidity.  I need to be fit for this, and am undergoing a stringent fitness regime. 

To find out more about the great work the Princes Trust does, and also for more information about the Borneo Challenge, please take a look at the site:  http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/default.aspx

So please donate to help the Princes Trust.  It's easy, quick  and totally secure. Donating through "Justgiving" is the most efficient way to sponsor me and the Princes Trust gets your money faster, and if you're a UK Taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please give as much or as little as you can - it will be much appreciated by me, the Princes Trust, and by the Young lives we are helping.  Thank You.