42 flights, 920 steps, 183 vertical metres 

On March 3rd I'll be taking part in Vertical Rush, running up 42 flights of stairs in London's Tower 42 in aid of Shelter, proving once again that I have no sense of reason or proportion when it comes to athletic events.

In the meantime I'll be training on the 13 flights of stairs at work. You can do 2 things to help me:

1. Sponsor me and Gift Aid your donation if you are a UK taxpayer

2. Remind me that I'm not going to get away with not training for this! (just look at the picture, it looks brutal)

Shelter works with people in bad housing, vulnerable housing and with the homeless. For a long time I've wanted to do something more than buying the Big Issue or pretending to be absorbed in my book when the tap-dancing homeless guy on the Victoria line asks for money.

I've recently helped out with the Harringey Churches Winter Shelter (a small, locally organised project, not connected to the charity Shelter). This project has been making a huge difference to people's lives but it only deals with their immediate circumstances. To deal with the causes of homelessness and bad housing needs a bigger charity. I'm raising money for Shelter because they lobby to bring about legislative change, tackling the causes of housing problems as well as providing assistance to those in need. 

I'd love to raise £250 for Shelter. It would go some way towards making my run up 42 flights of stairs not entirely stupid and ill-advised! Please spur me to the top with cash!