After five years of reform work in the insurance market, I am moving on to pastures new.   

To mark this, (and with a nod towards my next job) I will be running round the churches of the City of London's square mile on the afternoon of 29th October.  The purpose is to raise a significant sum of money for two very special charities. 

This page is about Umthombo; a charity doing superb work with street kids in South Africa.

We (Caroline, me and our 4 kids) were privileged to spend a week with Umthombo in August this year in Durban.  We saw first hand the superb work they do helping to turn around the lives of street children.  What struck each of us  was that street kids are just ordinary kids.  For a variety of reasons - abuse, family breakdown, AIDS -  they have ended up on the streets and are very vulnerable.  They don't want to be there.  They  want to play sport, kick about with friends, go to school, be with family, be loved and be safe.  Sound familiar? An ordinary life.  Umthombo gives street kids a "safe space" and works to get them safely back into their homes and schools.

Umthombo is partnered by The Amos Trust in the UK.  You can find out more about the work of Umthombo by visiting their website at www.umthombo.org or on the Amos Trust website at http://www.amostrust.org/projects. Please support the work of Umthombo as generously as you can - your gift will make a huge difference.

If you are not already familiar with Just Giving, it 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.

This is not all asking.  On the evening of Thursday 29th October, I would like to invite you to leaving drinks with a difference.  I'll be buying.  These will take place at All Hallows on the Wall.  (That's the north side of London Wall, 50 yds west of Bishopsgate.) http://www.amostrust.org/contact/index.php?pageNo=343 Among other things, a special range of real ales will be shipped in.  Food too, if all goes to plan.

 Please RSVP to Andy at andy.brookes@aon.co.uk

Over to you.

Many thanks.  Andy.

PS I also have another page on EducAid which you can see by clicking on http://www.justgiving.com/Andrew-Brookes/