Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Thanks for taking the time to visit my Just Giving Page.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">In the early hours of the 18<sup>th</sup>February , 2011, I will be attempting my first ever half-marathon in Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The idea of such a challenge was inspired by my fellow runners, Charlotte and Stephieas a fund-raiser for the charity Hope and Homes for Children. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Hope and Homes for Children is the recognized charity for the girls’ Primary School here in Doha – the Doha English Speaking School [DESS]. Both Megan and Lauren spent a few years at this great school and Hayley has been there since Nursery- now in Year 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Each year the school focuses on the Charity for one week and all the children get involved in raising money in a variety of different ways, coming up with all sorts of inspirational ideas themselves, inspired by the amazing input from the founder of the Charity – Mark Cook through his talks and videos. What a fantastic way of raising their awareness of those less fortunate than themselves and a very worthy cause.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Hope and Homes for children undertake incredible work with children, their families, communities and governments across Central and Eastern Europe and Africa. Their aim is to ensure that children grow up in an environment where they have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. The charity moves children out of institutions into family-based care, help keep together families at risk of breakdown due to the pressures of poverty, disease or conflict, and work to prevent child abandonment.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Now I certainly will not be breaking any records nor will I promise to run the entire distance though I will endeavor to do so but I do hope to cross the finishing line before the time limit of 4 hours! The training has been a real challenge and it has not always been easy but small steps and all that!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">So please, if you are able to donate any amount to Hope and Homes for Children I would be extremely grateful. .</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">So please dig deep and donate now.</span></p>
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