Story
<p>Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>So please dig deep and donate now. <strong>I will be paying all of my own expenses for this trip - so all of the money raised through this and any other fund raising events that I organise will go to Macmillan</strong>.</p>
<p>In May 2011 I will be heading to Peru with a friend, Moira Mcleod, to walk the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Mark Brigham of Ellis Brigham has already kindly donated a super warm Patagonia Down Jacket to keep me warm and I'm currently researching a new pair of boots. Moira and I hope to get out walking again soon to improve our level of fitness having been kept indoors since December by huge dollops of snow. </p>
<p><strong>February 2011</strong></p>
<p>I have finally started to Auction the remainder of my Geocoins on Ebay, last year there were lots of very generous people who donated Geocoins, and I would like to thank them all - some were donated anonymously - so I'm hoping they might get a peek in here to see that their generosity is very much appreciated.</p>
<p>A friend of a friend has made some beautiful cushions from fabric that I gave her, and I will be looking for an outlet for these, there are only ten cushions so if none of the local shops are interested in them I shall probably go and try etsy.</p>
<p>Many of our B&B guests have been kind enough to leave a 'tip' in the Macmillan collection box in the dining room and the numerous folk in and around the Strath that receive 'technical assistance' with their computers have also sponsored me. So it looks like I shall meet my target, and if bidding goes well on the Geocoins I might even exceed it.</p>
<p><strong>On April 6th 2010</strong></p>
<p>We held our first fund raising event, a quiz at the local village Hall. Nervous as kittens and concerned that noone would turn up since the local newspaper had failed to publish our advertisement of the event, we set up tables, set out glasses, inflated balloons and generally made ready. Bill Quirie had prepared the quiz and was coming along to be quiz master. The WI ladies had baked and helped with the teas and the Macmillan Committee ladies had organised a sale table of home baking. All we needed were bums on seats.</p>
<p>Well we need not have worried, folk were pouring in thick and fast. We ended up with 20 teams, the hall was packed and we could not have squeezed another table in if we had tried. All together the evening raised £650 which has given us a great boost and encouragement for our future plans.</p>
<p><strong>20th May 2010</strong></p>
<p>Last night we held our second fund raising event. Come Dine With Us at a local restaurant. Local suppliers were very generous in donating virtually all of the food and drink for this event and Graham the owner/Chef of the Craggan Mill put together a fabulous menu which was enjoyed by everyone. We held an auction of donated items and a raffle. The net result - Moira and I were each able to add a further £233.50 to our sponsorship total. Many thanks to all involved for their generous support.</p>
<p><strong>31st July 2010</strong></p>
<p>Attended the Scottish Mega (a Geocaching Event) with Moira in Perth where we ran a Tombola, sold coins and Raffle tickets.</p>
<p>An exhausting day which had taken many hours of preparation beforehand but came away very pleased to have raised £1225.74 for Macmillan. Several more coins (Geocoins) were donated on the day and these will be sold on ebay.</p>
<p>A cacher who goes by the name of Follieus very kindly donated a series of fantastic high definition photographs in card mounts - I wasn't really organised for selling/promoting these on the day but they will be featuring at some future fund raising event and will most probably be auctioned.</p>
<p>I can't really manage the conversion of a paperclip to a house, (google 'one red paperclip' for the full story if you don't already know about it) but the generosity of folk continues to amaze me and the willingness of people to get involved and lend a hand is both heartwarming and encouraging.</p>
<p><strong>Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer. They provide practical, medical, emotional and financial support and push for better cancer care. Cancer affects us all. We can all help. We are Macmillan. Charity registration No. 261017. Isle of Man charity No. 604</strong></p>