The Dare Club Abseil for Charity!

A Norwich author’s latest novel has inspired four friends to take part in daring pursuits to raise money for a women’s cancer charity.

Author Margaret K Johnson’s new book, The Dare Club, follows the fortunes of four very different people who meet on a Divorced and Separated course. As part of their recovery process, they challenge each other to face their fears.

Margaret and her friends will be facing the first of their own challenges for real on Saturday 21 June when they abseil from a 20 metre metal tower to raise money for Keeping Abreast, a breast cancer reconstruction support group.

Margaret explained: “We were discussing the book and it led us to wonder when we last did anything remotely daring – some of us concluded that our lives had become a bit safe and joked that we should form our own ‘dare club’. Quite a few of my friends said they weren’t keen on heights, so we decided to test ourselves by abseiling, which features in the story. Before we knew it, it had all been arranged!”

The first of Margaret’s friends to sign up were Sarah Daniels, Sarah Morgan and Susan Timewell, but all four women are recruiting others and hope that around 40 women will take part on the day, each donating £20. The event has been sponsored by AID Rope Access in Great Yarmouth, a company that offers industrial height training.

Margaret said: ‘My books are about women at a crossroads in their lives. My characters help each other with their self-esteem and self-confidence and to move on from adversity towards success. She added: ‘I’m really touched that The Dare Club has inspired women to face their fears and do something life-affirming – and a little bit scary. Who knows what we’ll do next!’ Margaret went to great measures to research material for the book, including enrolling on a stand-up comedy course in London. ‘It was completely nerve-wracking – the most terrifying thing I have ever done!’, she said. However, her comedy debut has spurred her to enter the ‘Funny Women’ competition next month, a national competition to find Britain’s best female comedian.

To sponsor The Dare Club’s abseil go to www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/TheDareClub All money raised will go to Keeping Abreast.

The Dare Club, by Margaret K Johnson, is available from Amazon at £7.99 paperback, £1.96 Kindle.