Final countdown for Rockall charity assault

Charity appeal update You know how it is - one minute you're in a pub having a couple of beers and saying "Why don't we go to Rockall for charity?", the next you're boarding a 40-ft yacht for the 300-mile trip to Britain's remotest islet in aid of Mental Health Media.

Yup, in less than a week myself and the intrepid Rockall Ho! team will be leaving Troon in western Scotland to make the perilous journey to the sacred rock.

Of course, undertakings such as these don't organise or finance themselves, and we're mightily grateful to all our magnificent sponsors for their support.

Many of these came through an earlier appeal on El Reg. We'd particularly like to single out www.file-away.co.uk of Benbecula, without whom we'd never have got the plan off the ground, as it were.

There has also been much individual support from Reg readers, as well as those who regularly log onto our own Rockall Times.

Well, if you haven't donated anything yet, and would like to support this most worthy endeavour, there are two things you can do right now: either buy one of our magnificent Rockall Times t-shirts (proceeds of all t-shirt sales until the end of July go to the appeal); or simply donate what you can afford via Paypal right here:

Alternatively, those local to the north-east Essex area can share a beer with us on Friday 18 July at the spiritual home of Yeast Logic — The Waggon & Horses, New Road, Mistley, Manningtree, Essex. Between 4 and 10pm there will be a farewell shindig, amusingly entitled "The Last Supper". In attendance will be no less than TV's Donal "Mad Dog" MacIntyre. Donal is a great supporter of mental health and related charities, and has kindly agreed to take time off from his punishing undercover schedule to lend his support. The Rockall Times will be carrying some pictures of this event in next Monday's edition.

Before setting sail, we leave you with a montage which illustrates the challenge ahead. Thanks to all our sponsors and supporters, and especially Vulture Central for allowing these occassional updates. Doubtless there will be news of our successful conquest of Rockall in the next two weeks.