Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 

Myself and Paul Lingard are competing this year in "The Italian Job", to raise money for a charity dedicated to helping disadvantaged children all over the UK, called Kids Out. Please take the time to have a look at their website www.kidsout.org.uk. There is also an overview of their activities further down this page.

 

Now, to the event. Ok its a jolly! Although a jolly in a very good cause. Each October, for the past 20 years, around one hundred Minis visit some of the best Italian motor racing curcuits and take part in a navigational rally back to London over a 2 week period, this year via Turin, Florence, Rome & Imola. I must stress at this point, that your sponsorship is for us entering the rally only. Disqualification, crashes etc will NOT earn you a refund! (Although a discreet smirk may be in order). There are also several Black Tie Balls along the way for us to be thrown out of!

 

Now this may not seem like a particularly stressful or difficult challenge on the face of it. However, any of you who have spent any time in a car with Mr Lingard will be aware of the danger I am putting myself in! And remember, this is for a very worthwhile cause, so do please dig deep if you can. Thanks on behalf of both of us for your valued support.

 

KidsOut helps disadvantaged children and young people - irrespective of background or circumstance - up to the age of 18, throughout the UK.

Many of the children they help have physical, health, social or learning difficulties, while others face less obvious challenges - such as coming from turbulent or financially deprived backgrounds.

• Children in Shelter - More than 135,000 children seek help as a result of domestic and physical abuse of which over 23,000 spend time with a mother in a women's refuge.
• Life Limited Children and their Siblings - More than 20,000 children suffer every year from terminal illnesses. This figure can be more than doubled to account for the number of siblings who are suffering too!
• Children in Rural Communities - Many children and young people living in rural communities are deprived of opportunities to engage in social, cultural and creative activities, outside what is often an isolated area.
• Young Carers - More than 75,000 children, typically under the age of 16, are known to care for a parent or sibling. Most young carers feel lonely, and because of their responsibilities often find it difficult to interact with other children.
• Children with Physical or Learning Difficulties - As many as 1 in 100 children are born with a lifelong disability. For some, it is just too difficult or too logistical to organize and enjoy a family day out.
• Low Income Households - In the UK, over 3.5 million children live in low income households. Many will never get the opportunity to enjoy such experiences as a day at a theme park, an outing to the theatre, or an evening's bowling.
• Children from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities - Children and young people who face prejudice can feel rejected by society and excluded socially. Irrespective of background or circumstance, KidsOut aims to support children and young people who are in need of some fun and happiness in their lives.

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.