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Thanks for visiting Joe and Nick's fundraising page in aid of the Journey of a Lifetime Trust (JoLt). JoLt is a small UK-based charity that organises life-changing trips every two years for people who have had to deal with severe difficulties in life. This is how they describe what they do:  "JoLt is a small charity run on a totally voluntary basis by a group of ordinary people with families and careers. It was set up in 1983 to make a positive lasting difference to the lives of disabled, ill, neglected and abused young people. Every two years, we organise expeditions all over the world for groups of young people (from fourteen to twenty one years) with significant disadvantages. All long to travel to far-away places. JoLt makes their dreams come true. These are not gentle comfortable trips, but tiring, taxing journeys in harsh environments that demand a great deal from the young people and those who accompany them. But they are also hugely rewarding, leaving participants with lasting memories of amazing places and a real sense of achievement. For many the journey is a life-transforming event, "jolting"them out of their old lives, helping them to grow in confidence and self-esteem and giving them the ability to take control of their future. The challenge starts before the journey begins. To make it possible, each young person is expected to raise a proportion of the overall cost of the trip. Donations make up the balance, with every penny raised going to help fund a young person or a leader on the Journey of a Lifetime." The words of one Mum whose teenage daughter who suffers from Sticklers Syndrome, a very challenging genetic disorder, expresses the kind of change people go on to make for themselves after being on a JoLt trip: "The opportunity to go on a Journey of a Lifetime came at just the right time in my daughter's life. She was becoming an angry teenager not easy to communicate with and developing quite a chip on her shoulder. When not angry she was bordering on being depressed. She had just cause for this in a way dealing with quite a bit of pain and feeling very isolated in the sixth form but whatever she tried she was seldom included. The JoLt trip turned her round and gave her the confidence to "get in the driving seat" (her exact words) and to be back in charge of what she wanted to do. She left the school she had attended for 6 years and took herself to College in a nearby town. Changed some of the A level subjects and now takes the bus on her own, but most importantly made some new friends. Perhaps this does not sound a huge change but when you are severely vision impaired it was quite a challenge to leave what you know, where you are well known and well supported to start again. This was due to the confidence she acquired on JoLt and the amazing people she travelled with. So a big thank you to JoLt for helping at just the right time." Joe and Nick are thrilled that you may support JoLt and the work that they do. For us to help others less fortunate than ourselves to have the chance to do something amazing that will affect their whole life, is both humbling and inspiring. A big thank you from both of us.

Mera and Island Peaks

Mera and Island Peaks

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