On 10th April 2011, I put on my trainers and attempted to run the 26.2 miles of the Brighton marathon for Alert/Lion Encounter.  

And - I DID IT!!!  The months of training through snow, rain, sunshine, and when it was "blowing a gale" paid off.  On a sunny hot day in Brighton, I ran every step of the 26.2 miles in 4 hours and 20 mins.  Yes it was an act of insanity, but it was sooo worth it.  The money you've all donated has been nothing short of fantastic.  It's humbling that you all had such faith in me and in this project!  I wouldn't have done this if I didn't believe fully in the work of Alert. 

Thankyou very very much for your support both emotional and financial.  It was thinking about that support and the lions and people who ALERT stand for, that kept my legs moving at mile 16 when I was really tempted to stop and go home for a cup of tea and a biscuit!

The African Lion and Environmental Research Trust is a conservation project dedicated to the conservation of lions in Africa.  It's about breeding, rehabilitating and releasing lions back into the wild.  The lion is on the "vulnerable" list of threatened species. Thanks to poaching, hunting and disease, lion numbers have dropped 80-90% in the last 30 years.  Without projects like Alert, we might well be waving goodbye to the African lion in the non-too-distant future. 

But this isn't just about lions.  It's about people, children, communities, and conservation.  Alert supports and enriches the lives of local people, offering them education, work and a passion for their environment.  It's also an important source of research on lions and the relationship between people and animals.

I worked as a volunteer with Alert in 2010 and found out first hand what they do.  I've taken lions walkies (okay, it's a bit scary the first time!), fed them, cleaned up their poo (that bit's unpleasant!), and helped in their progression from captive lions to ones that can hunt for themselves within a functioning pride.  I've visited the schools that rely on Alert support to educate their children.  I've seen communities work together to conserve their land.  I can't stress enough how important Alert are for the people and lions of Africa.

However such dedication costs money.  And that folks, is why I put on my trainers!

I hope you continue to follow and support this worthwhile conservation project, and feel suitably smug that you've helped to ensure the future of wild African Lions!

Thankyou!

Jackie

 

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Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.