The highs & lows of setting up a new charity

Setting up a new charity has been a roller coaster ride, so I thought I'd share some of the experience, to help others going through the same process. The first hurdle was the complexity of answering a simple question: what comes first, the bank account or charity registration? We learnt the hard way - if you're establishing a CIO then it's the charity registration, no way round it - and allow PLENTY of time! Finding the right bank account is a minefield - no easy answers or advice there.
But then there are the highs - the day the charity registration number finally comes through and you feel like you're a legitimate organisation or the day you learn that your funding application has been successful. And (this may sound like a strange high, but bear with me) getting your first phone number. I can't commend Sipcentric enough. They have a special deal for charities and we had a new phone number in less than 24 hours of contacting them. Their customer service was exemplary. I knew nothing about online phone systems but they hand held me every step of the way. 
Of course, there are other highs and lows along the way, but these are the ones that stand out