Thanks for visiting my fundraising page. As many of you will know I have a personal and professional involvement in adoption and fostering and a committment to improving the experiences of child and young people in the care system. When I was looking around for a new challenge I came across the BAAF horseride to Brazil and thought I could combine my love of riding with a tough challenge riding through the mountains in Brazil with an opportunity to raise money for this important charity. I am not loking for you to pay for me to go on holiday!.. I will be paying the cost of the actual trip but want to raise as much as I can for BAAF.  I will be riding through the Serra da Bocaina national park in Brazil covering between 25-40 kms a day.. the scenery looks beautiful but is obviously a steep climb in places and  I  will  also  have to do alot of walking. It's a big incentive to improve my fitness and it will certainly take me out of my comfort zone.

BAAF helps to find family placements for children in the care but it also does so much more. It is a campaigning organisation that aims to ensure that the government addresses the needs of looked after children; it provides training  and consultancy to professionals-helping to raise professional awarenesss and practice; it publishes books and a journal Adoption and Fostering ; it publishes Be  My Parent which includes the profiles of children, often with more complex needs or larger sibling groups-that is sent out to families  already approved to adopt and those actively considering adoption. I could go on.. but if you want to know more you can visit www.baaf.org.uk or contact me.

I have put this photo in with some reservations; it's the only picture I have of me riding Dancer and was taken on the day he was thoroughly badly behaved and bolted.. after I long comedy struggle observed by others on the downs and alot of shouting from me I finally fell off .. and  hurt my head and neck..it makes you appreciate the importance of a good hat! Dancer is a 12 year old thoroughbred ex- racehorse and although he has his moments he is usually sweet tempered.

I hope you may be able to sponsor me ..all donations however small are welcomed. Any suggestions about fundraising and this site welcome.

Thanks for reading  Feel free to contact me to ask anything.

Sarah

WOW .. must just update you all quickly..we had a quiz night in Tooting on saturday and think we have made a profit of £1600! it was a lot of work but well worth it.

It's only a week to go now and I'm training hard, almost finished the necessary jabs and trying to organise everything for whilst I'm away. A big thank you to you all.x

have spent ages trying to upload a picture of me and my ridiculously small pony in Brazil. The trip was exhilierating and exhausting, I rode up and down such steep slopes and on the longest day we rode for 9 hours. The views were spectacular, the other particiapnts great and I think I came back inspired to live life. I'm so pleased to have rasied money for BAAF and plan another challenge in a few years.

thanks

Sarah