A good friend of mine has decided to celebrate her 60th birthday year by raising money for The Alzheimer's Society. She is looking to get 60 friends on board with a collective target of £36000 and with a couple of beers inside me she found me a pushover to join her team.

I thought I would just jump on my bike and do the Coast to Coast bike ride until my squash partner scolded me and said anyone can train to do that event....what you need to do is stop drinking for a month. Beads of sweat immediately broke out on my forehead and I picked up the phone to The Samaritans but as soon as I mentioned my name and task they put the phone down on me.

For those of you who are well disciplined and don't drink in the house or only drink at weekends then for you this task would be a breeze. However, as many of you know, I drink every night and have done for 30 years without a day off so I feel this challenge is massive for me but for a worthy cause.

My wife is offering to support me by going off for a month's holiday as she says it is hard enough living with me with blood in my alcohol stream so rather than go teetotal with me she is keeping out my way.

I appreciate that we all get bombarded to help charities, although other than the Coast to Coast bike ride some 15 years ago, I have never asked my friends to sponsor me so this email may tempt you to part with your hard earned cash. More importantly this mail is to inform as many people as possible who know me, that I am attempting this challenge, firstly to help me through it but also if everyone is aware of my task the chances of sneaking a drink will be impossible.


Cheers

Phil