My name is Toni and I'm raising money in aid of Derby Mountain Rescue Team, of which I am a volunteer and Team Member, by taking part in a 100 mile ultrarunning event, The Rat Race: Castle to Castle.

Derby Mountain Rescue Team (DMRT) is currently raising money to complete the build of our new base. For many years we have been renting a garage for all our equipment, vehicles, drying room, training, etc.

This garage is too small, doesn't have enough storage, regularly floods, being close to the river, and it doesn't belong to us.

We started raising funds for our own base a few years ago, having purchased a plot of land near Markeaton. Whilst the fund raising has been going well and we now have the building installed, we still need to complete the internal fixtures and fittings so it is fit for purpose and ready for us to use.

As well as building our new base, the team also has to maintain operational running costs, about £50,000/year. We do not receive money from the government - we are fully funded through donations, legacies and fund raising. We are also all volunteers, on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

So, in order to try to raise some much needed funds, I'm taking part in The Rat Race: Bamburgh Castle to Edinburgh Castle, setting off on 4th July. I have 48 hours to complete the 100 miles. I will be doing a mix of running (well, more like trotting) and walking, grabbing a few hours kip en route. Some of you may remember I attempted the 100 miler Spine Race last year but DNF - I dropped out at Gargrave after approx 75 miles, having definitely "bonked", hallucinating and falling asleep on my feet. (The photo above, in the yellow top, was mid Spine (smily face) as opposed to the photo of me asleep in the bus-stop at Gargrave - I look like I've aged 20 years!) It was quite an experience but I am going to give it another go. I am determined to eat this time and your donations will definitely help keep me going and help give me motivation to continue and finish! (And, if any of you know my parents, please don't tell them as "dot watching" last year was incredibly stressful for my dad, and I don't want to put him (or my mum) through that again!)

I thank you in advance for any donation you are able to give to this cause that means so much to me. Whether I make it or not, the team will be overjoyed to be getting closer to having a base we can call our own.

More information about Derby Mountain Rescue Team: We are a voluntary emergency service who attend callouts in response to requests from Derbyshire Police, East Midlands Ambulance Service, and West Midlands Ambulance Service. Derby Mountain Rescue Team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and consists entirely of highly skilled unpaid volunteers