Raised: 97%
Target: £4,000.00
Raised so far: £3,876.60
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My story

 

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. I ran the New York City marathon on Sunday 1 November 2009 to raise money for Save The Children's lifesaving Kenya Food Crisis Appeal. That's 26.2 miles to help children suffering from acute malnutrition caused by Kenya's worst drought for years.  If you don't want to read any more background before handing over the cash, just click on the green "Donate Now" button above!

I finished in 3 hours, 24 minutes and 32 seconds, coming 3,953rd out of over 40,000 finishers. It hurt! I then flew back to Nairobi, a 20 hour journey, at 8am the next day. That hurt even more! I'm hoping this tale of pain will inspire some of you to contribute....(More details on my race are at http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/Results.htm - search by Fernie)

Kenya, where my family and I have lived since January, suffers from some of the worst rates of child malnutrition in the world. In parts of the north-east, one in three children is acutely malnourished. Rains across much of Kenya have been poor this year so far, as they have for the last three years - which could partly be as a result of climate change. Crops have failed, and water sources and pasture where people usually take their goats, cattle and camels have dried up. Livestock are dying in huge numbers. Food and water prices are high. As the rains come, they may create flooding which will cut some areas off from help, damage crops and spread disease.

The UN estimates 3.8m people don't have enough food and require immediate help. Of these, 261,000 are acutely malnourished children. The Kenyan government has reallocated some of its own budget to provide assistance, but has also declared a national emergency and asked for extra international aid. I've visited some of the affected areas. Life there is grim. If you met these kids, you'd want to help.

Your money will go to the Save The Children UK, one of the world's most reputable humanitarian charities. As head of the British Government aid programme in Kenya and Somalia, I have seen their work first hand and know they will spend your cash well. They are feeding the most vulnerable children and mothers, running nutrition programmes in Wajir and Mandera districts in the north-east. They have mobile outreach teams reaching families in isolated areas. They screen children for acute malnutrition and provide them with nutritious therapeutic food. They also help families to support themselves, for example by giving them livestock, such as goats, to help them through the crisis.

The organisation I work for (the UK Department for International Development) is currently funding Save The Children's work on the Kenya food crisis (and has contributed £15m to humanitarian work in Kenya this year). But more money is needed. There are still tens of thousands of acutely malnourished children in Kenya who are not getting help, and risk starving to death, or dying from other complications such as diarrhoea, malaria or measles because they are so weak from lack of food. And although many of us are contributing as taxpayers, I believe there's still a role for personal contributions too. So I'm putting in £1,000 of my own money to get this appeal rolling. 

You can find out more about Save The Children's work on the Kenya food crisis, and see photos and a video of the people your money could help, at http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/7728.htm

Please dig deep, and ideally sponsor me here online. Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to give money. Save The Children will receive your cash faster - and put it to work. And, if you're a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift by the Treasury at no cost to you. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails.

You can donate using any credit or debit card. If using a non-UK bank account, you can pledge in pounds and the amount will be deducted from your account or billed to you in your currency at current exchange rates. That includes US accounts, although I also have a parallel site at www.firstgiving.com/fernie for US donors. If this is all too complicated and you'd prefer to send a cheque or cash, let me know and I'll pass it on.

What difference will your money make?

·         £2 can buy a blanket for a malnourished child receiving treatment

·         £14 can buy a course of antibiotics for a malnourished child suffering from illness

·         £33 can support ten families with a supply of meat, milk and beans for a month (half their protein needs)

·         £62.50 can buy five families a goat each, so they can produce milk and meat themselves

·         £90 can pay for a health outreach team for a day for one remote site

·         £161 can pay for water to be trucked to a remotely located treatment centre for malnourished children.

 

Please sponsor me today! Many thanks for your support. If you're having any problems with this site or need to contact me for any other reason, please email me at alistairfernie@hotmail.com.

With best wishes

Alistair

Donation by Sarah MacCormick 16/12/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Mad. But Good. Donation by Felicity Gillespie 15/12/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

I know there are hundreds of other things I'd rather do in NYC... so all credit to you for doing something for a good cause! Donation by Mary 09/12/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by Wolfgang Fengler 29/11/09  

£20.00

Well done; run to the venue next time to save the planet! Donation by Matthew Wyatt 15/11/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Congratulations on the run. Donation by Felicia Morris 12/11/09  

Huge congratulations... £20 for finishing. £5 per minute under 3.30. Same aplies next time. Hopefully I'll be giving £100! Donation by Georgina Ayre 12/11/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Well done Alistair - great time. Very impressed. Hope to see you in Kenya sometime. Donation by Fiona Shera 10/11/09  

£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid

Well done Alistair, for the cause you've chosen and your physical effort! Donation by Carlton Evans 10/11/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Great effort Alistair, especially for the children. Donation by S Sawers 09/11/09  

£35.00 + £9.87 Gift Aid

Hi Al, well done on the transatlantic running schedule. You've nearly inspired me to take up my running shoes again!..... Donation by Ben Thornber 09/11/09  

£26.00 + £7.33 Gift Aid

Congratulations!! Donation by Juliette John 09/11/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Glad all the tips I gave you on Cooden Beach enabled you to do such a fast time. Well done! Donation by Mum 08/11/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Congratulations - although why you'd want to fly all the way to NY to run 26 miles is beyond me. Donation by Kate Joseph 06/11/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good work, Alistair! Donation by Claire Mc Evoy 06/11/09  

£200.00 + £56.41 Gift Aid

Even though you've already hit your target... a start to push you towards £4,000 Donation by Simon McDonald 05/11/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Well done! Donation by Liz Winton 05/11/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done Alistair. Donation by Jane 05/11/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Impressive! Well done Donation by Carole Presern 05/11/09  

£20.00

Well done Alistair! Brilliant! Donation by Camilla Rabey 04/11/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Fantastic! well done Donation by Tessa MacArthur 04/11/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Donation by Anonymous 04/11/09  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid

Well done Mr Lactic Acid Legs, Much love from Kate, Martin and Milo Donation by kate walker 04/11/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Congratulations! Next - Nairobi Marathon 2010...? :) Donation by Yaron & Carolin 04/11/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done Alistair. Much love Emma, Adam, Rory and Harry Donation by Emma Nell 04/11/09  

Well done Alistair Donation by mary horsley 04/11/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

5 quid for the run and 20 quid for doing it with the heavy beard Donation by Alasdair Wardhaugh 04/11/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Donation by Paul Spray 04/11/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Well done Alistair - and in a great cause. Donation by John Barrett 04/11/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Alastair well done! Brilliant time and a really good destination for the funds. Enjoy the after glow! Donation by Jenny Amery 04/11/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
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* Total raised online: £3,876.60
  Offline donations: £0.00
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £988.70

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