I have been offered an incredible opportunity to spend a year working as a volunteer teacher in Japan before I go to university to study Architectural Engineering. I will be going with Project Trust, a Scottish charity, which has been sending young people around the globe for the last 50 years - including my Mum in 1986! My departure date is September 2024.

I will be teaching English to primary school children and living with a host family. By the end of 12 months of being immersed in Japanese daily life, I hope to have a greater appreciation of Japanese language, culture and amazing food. I also hope to be able to set up some extra-curricular clubs to share my love of sport and drama with my students and to encourage them to use English for fun outside of the classroom.

In order to take up this opportunity, I need to raise sufficient funds to support the cost of my TEFL training, flights, living expenses and insurance.

I have run a small jewellery business since I was 12 and have also had a weekly job selling vegetables at a local farmers market since I was 14. I will be putting these earnings towards my year abroad with Project Trust.

But this will not cover all my costs. So, I will be walking the Black Mountains 3-Peaks Challenge on Easter Sunday with my sister. This consists of a 34km walk, climbing to the top of Blorenge, Skirrid and Sugar Loaf all in one day. It should take about 11 hours; fingers crossed it doesn't rain all the way!

Any donation that you feel able to give me to complete this hike will go straight to Project Trust and help me achieve my goal of volunteering in Japan for a year.

The cover photo is of me in Scotland last year on Loch Hourn travelling by boat to the beginning of a vertical walk. The next one is of me walking along the side of the loch after a wet day on the hill. Others photos include: my Dad carrying me in Kenya; a family picture of me 'walking' in the Alps - up until the age of 5, I was carried almost everywhere; it’s a wonder I learnt to walk at all -; and me, aged 8, getting ready to go lambing in Yorkshire in my first pair of proper walking boots!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please pass the link to anyone else who might be interested in sponsoring me,

Best wishes

Romilly