I have been thinking about challenging myself for a while, but not sure what to do. When Morrison Construction partnered up with Safe, Strong & Free, an email came out looking for fundraising ideas. I thought, here we go. If I commit to some sort of adventure and be able to do some fundraising at the same time, it would be great for both me and the Project. I eventually settled on climbing Kilimanjaro. The trek I am doing is "The Northern Circuit".

The “Northern circuit” route is the longest on the mountain at 88km, 9 days/8 nights in tents. The route takes us around the northern side of the mountain and gives an extra day at altitude to help your body to acclimatise, with the aim of reaching the top of the mountain at 19,341ft on the eighth day. Leaving your sleeping bag at 11pm on night seven, trekking through the night. At sunrise, you approach the rim of the dormant volcano and continue up to the peak. Once at the top, oxygen levels are too low to hang around too long, you have 10-15 minutes before you then descend to the last camp 2/3rds of the way down, then on to the exit gate of the park the following day. Temperatures range from very humid mid-twenties at the rainforest start of the route, to artic conditions with snow/ice covered peak and -20c.

Why fundraise for Safe Strong & Free; my story is short and simple.

With my son Harris now six years old and having started school last August, he came home one night and asked me to read his new book for a bed time story. It was one of the books the SS&F group had handed out during their visit to the school. It was about "Callum" who was being bullied. Harris got upset and said he would need to do the same as Callum to those who were picking on him at school. It was heart breaking to hear him say that.

The Safe, Strong & Free Project (SS&F) is a Primary Abuse Prevention Programme, based in the Highlands which aims to reduce the vulnerability of children and young people to abuse and assault through a variety of programmes and workshops.

The three workshops the project run are aimed at protecting young children and teaching them about how to handle certain situations and about telling a safe adult.

More information can be found at www.safestrongandfree.org.uk

If you are able to donate, it would go towards helping the Project continue their work at local Highland schools, and hopefully protecting young children from some unthinkable circumstances.

100% of all donations will go to Safe, Strong and Free.

Thank you,

Paul