Story
<p>Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.</p>
<p>My unique friend Linda could not resist a donkey... we spent fun days on the beach together and she would always run over to pat the donkeys and call them 'little grey heaps' and I know by this she meant that they are often worked until they are :-(</p>
<p>Linda had compassion for the lives of hard working donkeys and used to say that one day she would leave all her money to help them, but this did not happen because she suddenly died aged 47. </p>
<p>I am lucky to have been Linda's friend for 20 years and have very happy memories of her and it's because of her love for donkeys that I became a supporter of the Donkey Sanctuary ever since her unexplained death.</p>
<p>Last year I read the awful story about the donkey who was made to parasail as a publicity stunt in Russia and it's because of this that I thought of Linda and made up my mind that it's time to do something more for deserving donkeys because this is what she wanted.(It was reported that the donkey died of heart failure on 6/2/11). </p>
<p>So I am determined to raise the funds to make it to India (May 2011) where I will do the Dharamsala Challenge, trek, camp and climb Laka Got mountain in Linda's memory and donate a huge amount of money to the Overseas Donkey Sanctuary who help donkeys in distress all over the world. A dose of acute mountain sickness will be well worth it for donkeys and their families who work endlessly in difficult conditions to benefit. The Donkey Sanctuary provides free veterinary care and assists some of the poorest people in the world with caring for their little grey Neddies who they rely on to make a living.</p>
<p>Linda had a lot more living to do and donkeys to pat and how I miss those happy days. So I am now working hard to raise funds to reach my target and in doing so help to improve the lives of the 'little grey heaps' that had a special place in her heart.</p>
<p>If Linda was here now she would be saying ‘c’mon Broomy, get on with it’ and I’m determined to do just that for her! </p>
<p>AFTER NINE MONTHS OF FUND RAISING I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY HEARTFELT THANKS AND LOVE TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED ME TO EXCEED MY TARGET - TO MUM JOYCE AND DAUGHTERS LYDIA AND RACHEL WHO HAVE BEEN BEHIND ME FROM DAY ONE. TO ALL FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SUPPORTED MY FUND RAISING EVENTS AND TO THOSE WHO HAVE DONATED ON OR OFFLINE.</p>
<p>I HAVE HALF ACHIEVED WHAT I SET OUT TO DO BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB IN A REMOTE PART OF INDIA. I HAVE MADE SOME NEW AND WONDERFUL FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY AND KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME. I HAVE DONE THIS FOR THE DONK WHO WAS SO BADLY TREATED AND HOPE HER SUFFERING WILL HELP TO EASE THE PAIN OF OTHER DONKEYS AND FOR MY SPECIAL FRIEND LINDA WHO HAS NEVER BEEN TOO FAR AWAY FROM MY THOUGHTS. LINDA'S UNFORGETABLE STRENGTH OF CHARACTER HAS BEEN MY INSPIRATION X X</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">THANK YOU!!</span></strong></p>