Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller will take on Tauranga's equivalent to Mount Everest when he participates in the MORE FM Mount Everest Challenge.

"Climbing the Mount 38 times is the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest,” says Todd.

For the third year in a row, the Mount Everest Challenge is raising money for a local charity and at the same time helping people get fit.

This year the fundraiser is supporting Tauranga Women's Refuge.

"I have been challenged to do this in 50 days and help raise money for Tauranga Women's Refuge," says Todd, who generally spends a fair portion of his working week in Wellington.

The challenge starts Friday, February 17, and finishes Friday, April 7.

'I've just told Paula I'm doing the More FM Everest challenge,” says Todd.

Tauranga Women's Refuge offers a co-ordinated approach to supporting women and children who are experiencing domestic violence.

The refuge provides a range of services including a 24 hour - 7 day a week crisis phone line, temporary shelter, counselling services, community social work and advocacy, as well as practical support in attending appointments such as Police, Lawyers, WINZ, CYFS and others. The centre is involved with numerous education programmes and make referrals to other agencies and organisations where required.

In the previous 10 months, Tauranga Women's Refuge has supported 451 women and their children. Of those women, 58 have accessed the safe house, while others have received counselling, emergency support and ongoing advocacy.

All have received help in developing a plan to keep themselves and their children safe. Each week volunteers contribute 128 hours towards making this happen.

'For me going up and down is the sort of thing I might do a handful of times a year,” says Todd.

'This is going to be quite a challenge logistically and also physically, but it's good, and I hope it will be well-supported by the community, and through this some money will be raised for Tauranga Women's Refuge.”

To find out how you too can be part of this amazing community challenge as an individual, team of corporate check out all the details and register here:www.morefm.co.nz/mounteverestchallenge.