Dear family, friends and colleagues: I’m fundraising!

I’m attempting to run 5k a day every day for a year, in support of Value Your Development Community Interest Company (VYD). I started on 7th September, 2021, which makes today (22nd June, 2022) day 288 out of 365. I’m doing it because I want to and I have a choice. Many refugees arriving in the UK have no choice, travelling for days, months and even years to avoid persecution.

With the situation across many countries in the world leading to more young people fleeing their homelands, VYD, along with many other fantastic non profit organisations, try to offer a glimpse of what a welcoming, caring and humane society looks like.

VYD is a fully grounded, not-for-profit organisation with high aspirations, run by an incredible friend of mine who dedicates so much of his time to helping others in the Brighton and Hove area. The ethos is simple: Use football to enable personal development, and in doing so, help tackle the socio-economic pressures affecting some of the UK’s most deprived and neglected communities. Check out their website: http://www.vydcic.org/

Any money raised will be used to offer more football sessions to refugees and other marginalised groups, paying for pitches and coaches, as well as supplying new kit, water bottles and any other equipment they might need.

I recognise there are many requests for sponsorship against a backdrop of increased financial pressure, but anything you can spare will really help. Even if you can’t right now, following them on LinkedIn or Twitter (VYD_CIC) will help raise awareness and be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Lewis