Probably every writer in Kent is aware of the wonderful Luigi Marchini; I’m not sure where our local writing events and happenings would be without his famous ‘email list’ and his general support and enthusiasm for writing and other writers.

Hopefully you are also aware of his forthcoming climb up Kilimajaro to raise funds for Dementia UK.

I must admit to having a special interest in this, not just because he’s borrowing my rucksack for the expedition*, but two years ago, I was getting very nervous about my own climb so I know just what an amazing (frightening/exhausting/draining/lifechanging) thing it is to get to the top.

If you haven’t sponsored Luigi yet, I hope you will consider doing so here – he is SO near his target… go on. And I tell you what, if your donation is the one which tips him over, I’ll send you a signed copy of my poetry collection!

And thinking about poetry, and writing, and Luigi – as well as aspirant mountain-climber, he is also Chair of the acclaimed Canterbury-based writing group, Save As Writers, and if you fancy a challenge nearer to the ground, they have a Dickens of a competition coming up, with a deadline of 15th August. “Entries are invited for a Creative Writing competition for short works of poetry or prose inspired, broadly or otherwise, by any character from a Charles Dickens novel. The competition is open to all writers and international submissions are welcome.”

You can find out more here.

And now I’m wondering about which Dickens character might just have climbed Kilimanjaro….

(*Must admit I like the idea of the rucksack making its second visit up, I imagine the glaciers to be saying, not you again!)