Hello! As some of you may know I'm taking a trip out to South Africa in January/ February for some well earned fun and frolics in the sun and sea! 

 

 

After my two weeks of frivolities I will be visiting my good friend Emily with her husband and 2 children just east of Cape Town in the township of Grabouw. About 18 months ago they dropped everything in the UK and decided to move to South Africa and dedicate their time and love to a worthy charity called Thembalitsha UK. 

 

The specific project that they work on is called The Village of Hope. It is a place where orphaned children with HIV/AIDS are cared for temporarily before they can be given a permanent home in the local community. The Village of Hope operates as a halfway house for children who are able to leave hospital and have a chance of living a good quality of life. It is also a place where some children may not be integrated back within a family unit, and may spend their last months and years there.

 

I'm running the Bath half marathon in March 2011 and as a small token of my gratitude for letting me visit me visit - and as a tribute to Emily and her family and all the other stoic volunteers and organisers who are doing such an amazing job -  I'm hoping to raise some well needed funds to continue their efforts. People like this give us hope and show us the spirit of humanity when life can be so testing and unfair.

 

I don't expect to raise millions and in fact if I get to raise just £200 that would be amazing, but in an effort to increase the fun value for all those who wish to torment me I am open to suggestions regarding how I will run the marathon. So any ideas are gladly received on my facebook page where I will be running a shortlist of the best/ most embarrassing ideas to help encourage you to spank a bit more cash :D

 

I will update with pictures from my visit to South Africa and the marathon after I run it to finalise any humiliation that you wish to dispense!

 

Thanks for taking the time to check this out, now stop being a tight arse a put your hand in your pocket! :D 

 

To see what the Village of Hope get up to check out their blog:

 

http://www.thembavillageofhope.blogspot.com/

 

http://www.thembalitshauk.org.uk

 

 

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