Date published: 02 February 2018 by Anna Jackson

Hello all and welcome to my first Challenge 50 blog and to my inspired avatar!

I am a great fan of marking ‘significant’ ages in a positive way – celebrating being alive, well and healthy. When I turned 40 I had an incredible party weekend and made the most of it for me. This year I am 50 and now I think it’s time to celebrate in a way that benefits others.

I am really excited about being 50 and, as a result, felt that I should come up with a list of 50 things to do that would challenge me in different ways, that raise money for one of the most incredible charities I have ever been involved with, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, and that (mostly) relate in some way to the charity, its work and the incredible staff and volunteers that support it.

Hence Challenge 50 was born; 50 challenges, on 50 different days, throughout 2018 to raise a minimum of £10,000. And you can be a part of it – donate whatever you can (plus gift aid) on my fundraising page here, join me in one of my challenges, come along and shake a bucket or two at a challenge, use social media to help raise awareness of what Rainbow Trust does or anything else that you think will help.

My challenges are a mix of fun things, sporty activities, acts of kindness and slightly crazy things and it starts now!

Challenge 1: I am having my first saxophone lesson!

Challenge 50: To play a piece on the saxophone in front of an audience.

The intervening challenges are a real mixed bag and I will be releasing them very shortly a few at a time.

Very excited to get going, thank you to everyone who has kicked off the donations and I hope you all feel able to support and get involved. I expect to be fit at fifty (if a little exhausted by the end of the year)

Thank you to all of you.

Zillah Bingley, CEO at Rainbow Trust