Hello friends!
Thanks so much for clicking on the link to my fundraising page (which no doubt I have been badgering you about for months!). You are now just one short step away from helping me achieve a massive goal!
As a challenge to myself after reaching the big 3-0 I will be running the 2010 London Marathon to prove my joints are still up to it. I'm doing this in aid of Refuge - a fabulous charity which provides support and emergency accommodation to women and children who have experienced domestic violence. Domestic violence is a serious crime that affects 1 in 4 woman in their lifetime and shockingly kills two women every week. It's a subject close to my heart, knowing somebody who has lived through this and so I am aiming to raise £2,500 for Refuge to go a small way in helping them carry on the great work they do in supporting women and children fleeing domestic violence.
The training is hard. Really hard. I am not exactly built for long-distance running and my friends all know I enjoy a drink and a curry! It's been even harder since getting injured about 9 weeks into my training and I had to take a bit of a gap so my fitness is now not quite what I had hoped it would be. Although I'm back training each run now is still pretty painful but with each penny I raise for Refuge the pain gets a little bit easier so here's your chance to help me - by contributing any small (or large!) amount to my fundraising you will help motivate me and allow Refuge to continue their work in changing and saving lives. Here's an idea of what your donation might pay for (as well as how much it means to me per mile!):
£10 could pay for an hour activity session for a group of children living in a refuge, helping their development and giving the mothers some time to themselves. 38p a mile!
£15 could allow a woman to buy her child essential materials for school - many women arrive at Refuge with nothing but the clothes they are wearing and do not have the means to buy the things they need. 57p a mile!
£35 could pay for a fun day of activities for a group of children in a refuge. £1.34 a mile!
£50 could fund a session of play therapy for a group of four children, helping them to overcome the trauma of witnessing or experiencing violence. £1.91 a mile!
£75 could fund a local support group session for women from black, minority, ethnic backgrounds who have experienced domestic violence. £2.86 a mile!
£350 could pay for a training workshop for 20 women, helping them to enter the employment market and regain their independence. £13.36 a mile!
£1,000 could pay for 10,000 leaflets to be printed to publicise Refuge's services, reaching out to the most vulnerable women and children in need of our help. £38.17 a mile!
£1,700 could allow an outreach worker to visit 136 women in their home or a place of safety, helping them to take control of their lives and to keep themselves safe. £64.89 a mile!
£3,500 could pay for 20 children to receive a programme of 12 sessions of counselling from a Refuge Psyhcologist, helping them to overcome the trauma of witnessing or experiencing abuse. £133.59 a mile!
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Refuge gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation. For anyone who is not happy about donating online (even though it is totally secure), please let me know as I will have the old-fashioned sponsor form as well.
Thanks so much taking the time to read this. Look forward to hopefully receiving your donations - watching me hobble round 26.2 miles on a dodgy knee must be worth at least a tenner surely!
Julie xx
