Hello...and thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Most people will have heard of me through my appearances on TV's 'Most Haunted' shows, or by attending one of my ghost hunting events. But aside from my media and business ventures I also have a private life, a private life that few people really know of...so I will share a little of that with you, and give you an insight into why I chose this particular charity to support.

Over the past 12 months or so my wife Sara and I have experienced the agonising and heart-wrenching void that a miscarriage brings...not once, but 4 times; the last two having occurred within the past 6 months. Our final pregnancy seemed to be going to plan when - during a 8 week scan - a heartbeat was seen; we lost our baby at 12 wks, having been told that in all probability our little one's heart had stopped only a week after the joy that the 8 week scan result brought. Added to this obviously devastating news was that Sara had to undergo a heartbreaking operation.

This is why we both feel that The Miscarriage Association - which is local to us - should be the charity to fundraise for on this occasion.

I am not doing this to gain sympathy, but just looking to raise awareness for a charity who supports those who experience the distress of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies and molar pregnancies.

I hope you do manage to find a little spare change in this time of economic uncertainty...

So, how am I going to be fundraising?
Well my weight of late has been a little on the heavy side, so I have chosen to do a sponsored weight loss! At the moment I weigh
18st 6lbs (gulp!) and I want to ideally get down to 15st...by Christmas Day 2012! Thats a loss of 3st 5lbs. The added incentive is of course the charity itself.

I will post updates on a weekly basis (you can join my Facebook page if you like. It's https://www.facebook.com/phil.whyman.3)

Please give generously to a charity and cause that is close to our hearts.

Added reason to donate: If I reach a target of £1,000 or above I will shave off my beautiful head of hair...on Christmas Day!

ABOUT MY CHOSEN CHARITY - The Miscarriage Association
The Miscarriage Association makes a real difference.
They provide support and information when it’s most needed - and I want to help them continue doing that for others in this situation.

Income from event sponsorship makes up more than a quarter of The M.A.’s £200,000 annual budget, so every penny of your sponsorship will really make a difference. What’s more, if you are a UK taxpayer and Gift Aid whatever you give, you’re adding another 25% to the charity without it costing you a thing.

Take a look at the figures and see what your money can do:

£5 pays for sending out a pack of 5 information leaflets on miscarriage facts and feelings

£17 pays for helpline support and a leaflet pack for one person

£20 means staff can send leaflet packs to four people

£36 will staff the helpline for an hour (responding to 2 to 4 requests for help)

£50 pays for one hour’s outreach costs, telling 10 nurses, midwives or doctors about The M.A.

£100 will enable The M.A. to train a new support volunteer

£250 pays for a training session for GPs or hospital doctors

£500 means they can send leaflet packs to 100 people

£1,000 will cover the cost of researching, writing and producing a new information leaflet

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...and don't forget to use the GIFT AID feature if you can!

Many, many thanks!
Phil & Sara Whyman

ps...if you are reading this and the target has been reached, PLEASE don't stop donating!