Alive & Kicking is a UK based charity which raises HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other health awareness issues in Africa.  Although barely three years old, its messages have reached thousands of African kids through the simple provision of footballs, netballs and volleyballs which it makes by hand using local leather.  The ball making enterprise has already created nearly 200 jobs in Kenya and Zambia, and will soon be operating in South Africa .  The balls are durable and repairable, therefore appropriate for harsh African conditions.  Each ball carries strong health awareness messages, and thus has the potential to save lives.  The charity is supporting a growing network of NGOs, CBOs and development agencies with their work in some of the most inaccessible parts of the continent.  There is much more to read on their website (www.aliveandkicking.org.uk).  Christian Aid, DFID, UEFA, the FA, UK Sport, the Swiss Development Corporation, the Elton John Aids Foundation, and many others have given wonderful support to Alive and Kicking, but more financial support is needed.

Simon Brocklebank-Fowler of Cubitt Consulting is donating his 10 year sabbatical to Alive and Kicking, and he will be going on the first of several welfare missions to the region later this month, for two weeks, to be followed by a period advising on grant applications at the charity’s UK Head Office. 

Jeremy Bennett of Credit Suisse, and his rally racing colleagues Neil McGrigor, Ian Freestone, Tim Chesser and Charles Nicholson are donating the fund-raising capacity of their rally team in the forthcoming East African Safari Rally (www.eastafricansafarirally.com) to the charity.  Over STG 10,000 has already been raised.

Simon Brocklebank-Fowler, Jeremy Bennett, Neil McGrigor and Ian Freestone