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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Hi there, thanks for taking the time to visit my web page. I hope you'll feel able to support my fundraising efforts!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Weather permitting, between 11-13 July, I plan to make eight solo (ie not tandem) free fall parachute jumps to raise money for St John, a charity I feel very passionate about.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Most people have heard of St John and the work they do providing first aid training, ambulance services and volunteer first aiders at public events. However, St John does so much more than this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The charity's mission is <strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“t</strong></span><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">o prevent and relieve sickness and injury and to act to enhance the health and well-being of people of all races and creeds.”</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">They lead programmes to assist Caribbean populations with disaster preparedness in anticipation of natural disasters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They provide critical training for children in households across Africa, where both parents are dying of HIV/AIDS (I have personally seen these programmes in action in Zimbabwe and can vouch for their effectiveness). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Other activities include: Dental services for children with disabilities in Hong Kong; Haemodialysis services in Malaysia; Blood transfusion services in Papua New Guinea; Hospice care in Antigua; Home base care training and the Phelophepa Health Care train in South Africa; Maternity hospital and female vocational training facilities in Pakistan; and Primary Care Clinic in Malawi.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In addition, the St John Eye Hospital is the main centre for expert eye care in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">They also run some of the largest youth programmes in the World in the form of the St John Cadets and the St John Badgers to help young people develop their full potential.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">St John is recognised by the UN and has operations in over 40 countries with more than 250,000 volunteers and staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helps people to help themselves without reference to race, creed or colour. </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: black; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So please dig deep and donate now.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"> </span></p>
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