Dear selected (lovely) family members*,

It's been 4 years since my last challenge (the London Marathon) and, it being an Olympic year, it is time for a new challenge!

So this summer I doing THREE EVENTS: a 10k race in July through central London, a sprint distance triathlon in August at Eton-Dorney and the final main challenge: a full Olympic distance triathlon around Hever Castle in Kent in September.  The Olympic distance is 1,500m (60 lengths) open water swim, 40km bike and if I haven't drowned or passed out, a 10km run. 

When I first started training for the swim I was literally (I'm not exaggerating) swimming two lengths before having to stop so this is a big thing for me! 

I'm fundraising for the Commonwealth Girls Education Fund which allows girls in developing Commonwealth countries the opportunity to get a good education that they would not otherwise be able to access.  Any money I raise is allocated to the 10km run in July (which is around key landmarks in central London) but I'm treating this as fundraising for all 3 events, so there will be no further requests for money I promise.

Good education for women is something that luckily we get to take for granted in the UK, but recent news stories about that brave Malala girl who was shot in the head for promoting education rights for girls, Boko Haram in Nigeria kidnapping those schoolgirls just because they were going to school and countless other stories really drums home how lucky we are to have good education.  The recipients of these funds are incredibly grateful and go on to surpass all expectations.  Apparently £300 sponsors education for a girl for a whole year!  Compare that to British private school fees, eh?!

Please do sponsor me, and my preference would be that the amount is anonymous, in case anyone feels pressure to donate too much.  That said, the money goes a really long way so the deeper you dig, the more effect it has.

* If you haven't received this email, it's because I don't have your email address, not because you're not lovely!