If you've been following my fundraising for some time, you'll recall all sorts of crazy efforts, the latest of which was giving all my things away at a car boot sale in June. (read more here) Despite the fact that 6 months in India dramatically reduced my fitness and I haven't raced in nearly a year, I'M NOW RUNNING CHELTENHAM HALF MARATHON ON OCTOBER 1ST in order to continue getting together the £3000 I need to return for more voluntary work in India.

From October 2016 to March 2017, I spent many transformational weeks working as a self-funded volunteer with social education charities and youth work organisations in India to help teach and support young people from a variety of different, often marginalised backgrounds. Many of the students I worked with were from Below Poverty Line families and most have been brought up with the cutting reality of caste discrimination that continues to permeate attitudes in India despite legislation seeking to eradicate it. Alongside my co-volunteers, I have been delivering English language skills, teacher training and personal mentoring to help give these youths the skills they need to gain employment and financially support themselves and their families. We've also been working to demonstrate the reality of gender, race, age and interstate equality. I've delivered talks, run workshops and I've supported young people to develop the emotional resilience they need to survive in a very challenging social environment, It's been the most difficult yet rewarding experience of my life so far but I can see the potential for the contribution I can make has only just started to emerge. I have a vision to return and continue this work with even more young people; but this will need funding. I need about £1000 to cover my flights, visa, insurance and vaccines, then around £2000 to feed myself, pay for travel between states and cover my other expenses for five to six months. I've already raised £1700, just £1300 (plus Just Giving's fees) to go! I've got the energy, drive, motivation and ability to do the work... but only with your financial support. Please give what you can. Thank you.

You can read more information and details of my experiences in India on my blog page: http://www.glittermouse.co.uk/maggamouse-blog