Give a future to a child

On a night out with my son, he remarked that he had never seen me with a beard. I explained that, though they were fine for other people, I hated, almost obsessively, the idea of having one myself. So he gave me a challenge. If you don't shave for 21 days, he said, I will donate $500 to a charity of your choice. It's fine for him, he has a beard. But much as I dislike the idea, I had to do it.

Our children were lucky to have had a very good schooling, university degrees and successful careers. I am so conscious of the fact that not all children can face such a bright future. These children do not deserve to be held back. We owe it to them to help unlock their potential.

Do you want to join me in making a difference? As a bonus, you can revel in my misery! I'm raising money in aid of The Smith Family and every donation will help. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

More information about The Smith Family: The Smith Family believes that education is one of the world’s most powerful change agents. That’s why we focus on helping young Australians to overcome educational inequality caused by poverty.

As a national, independent charity, every day we work with thousands of children and their families to help them unlock better futures for themselves.