***** Update - August 2020.  The Speed Project DIY is happening! Thanks to the resillience and commitment of participants from around the world and the organisers determination, teams from 36 countries will be taking part in this global, decentralised event.

Starting at 1pm (CET) Saturday 5th September, teams have 31 hours and 15 minutes to run as many miles as they can, relay style.  Team members can run their legs from anywhere in the world whilst strictly adhering to local Coronovirus restrictions.  At the finish point on Sunday 6th September at 8.15pm (CET) the team with the most miles completed wins.

Our brilliant team have maintained their running training and are good to go!  Additionally, participation in the DIY event means that we can guarantee our place in The Speed Project 2021 - currently scheduled for March (fingers crossed).

Thank you - we really appreciate your support.

********* We are deeply upset to report that due to the COVID-19 outbreak The Speed Project 2020 has been cancelled until at least the autumn.

The team were due to fly to America to start this incredible challenge in a few short days and not only have they each paid for their own participation in the event, much more than that, they have invested months of blood, sweat and tears into the formidable amount of training required to be fit enough and fast enough to participate.

Equally, all members of the support crew have also used up valuable holiday time and made all sorts of domestic arrangements to help the event succeed.

We are writing to you, as you so kindly donated to us to help this event achieve what it was really intended to.  Our mission is to raise a huge amount of money for some of the most impoverished children in the world to make their lives more bearable, less full of pain and suffering and more full of empowerment, education and opportunity.

We are writing to you to request your permission to retain your phenomenally generous donation, despite us not being able to ‘finish the job’ at this current time by actually running the race.  We can promise you our good work will continue regardless and your money will be put to use helping us to bring health, education and freedom to children in Nepal. ******

Emma, Gina, Helen, Elaine, Ibi, Andy, Miranda, Tom, Luke, Paul, Luke, Airida, Rachel, Bella, Craig, Elizabeth, Emily, Nikki and Simon are the team of intrepid runners and support crew taking part in this year's Speed Project - a crazy 340 mile multi-terrain, non-stop team relay, which starts on Santa Monica Pier and finishes at the Las Vegas Strip - taking in the searing heat of Death Valley desert en route.  The event runs over the weekend of 20th-22nd March, with a 48 hour cut-off target - although we are hoping to do it in less!!!!  We are absolutely delighted to announce that St James's Place are matching up to £100,000 of all the money that we raise - meaning that your donation is effectively doubled and every £1 donated is actually worth £2 for our wonderful charity!

We are running to raise money for Nepal Youth Foundation UK; a charity which offers hope and opportunity to Nepal’s most impoverished children.  We are specifically running in support of a programme which aims to provide children within the most marginalised parts of Nepali society the opportunity to escape extreme poverty.

Due to poverty and caste-based discrimination, the Dalit community’s access to quality education, healthcare and employment opportunities has historically been severely restricted.  School attendance rates are extremely low (especially amongst girls), child marriage rates are high, vocational training opportunities are desperately restricted, house construction is poor - with many being classed as 'temporary dwellings', household sanitation rates are well below the national average and many household incomes are so low that it is a struggle to feed their family.  

Sadly, the extreme poverty and lack of opportunity mean that education is seen as a luxury that few can afford - children are needed to help their families work and daughters are married young in order to relieve the financial burden. 

Nepal Youth Foundation has a far-reaching project that will provide educational scholarships, vocational training, adult literacy classes and teacher training.  The programme will also provide funding to pay for Community Health Workers, Educational Liaison Officers and Community Engagement Officers for Women's Empowerment.  In order to sustain this, the charity will also build and furnish community centres (and provide salaries for staff), help to establish community cooperatives and facilitate business start-ups.  To encourage children to attend school and to remain there for the day, mid-day meals will also be funded.

£100 will provide a child with an educational scholarship for a year.

£500 will cover the training and start-up costs for 2 mothers to set-up their own businesses.

£700 will pay for a youngster to complete a vocational training course.

£1800 will build a safe, secure and suitable house for a family. 

Absolutely any donation you can make towards this amazing and worthwhile project will make a very real difference to these communities.

Thank you so very much.