*** I'm hoping that people who donated receive notification when the page has been updated. If they don't then it's unlikely anyone will ever see the photos I just uploaded of the walk in all its soggy glory :-) ***

*** Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far, or is about to donate - we're extremely grateful for your support and inspired by your generosity ***

Hello and thank you for considering sponsoring our walk. Let me introduce "the team" and explain the origins of this idea. We are a group of Comparative American Studies students at Warwick University who meet on Tuesdays at 11am for a literature seminar. This time last week our tutor asked us if we were doing anything in solidarity with the survivors of the Haiti earthquake. I'm ashamed to say that the answer was no, but like all good questions it got us thinking.

Since then, we have been bucket-shaking (or rather bucket-holding-motionless, in accordance with current fundraising etiquette) at a number of campus events. We have set up at facebook group called "Haiti at Warwick" which has nearly 500 members and has become a resource for students at Warwick looking to contribute in some way to the relief effort. Our aims from here are to continue to fundraise creatively and effectively on and around campus and to organise academic events around the subject of Haiti, to raise awareness and understanding of the complexity of recovery.

So, what's this about walking to Warwick? This time next week, we are going to be walking from Leamington Spa (where many of us live) to campus, arriving - with any luck - in time for our 11 o' clock seminar. The journey takes approximately 25 minutes by bus and Ben reckons we could make it on foot in about 2 hours. The plan is to meet at the Parish Church at 8.30am, dressed in full flourescent rave gear (so the cars and buses can't miss us!), and to weave a path through the Warwickshire countryside with Ben as our able guide. Some of our friends have kindly agreed to come with us and it remains a fully open invitation if anyone else is interested. See the facebook event page for more details and any changes to the plan: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=453168715651&ref=nf.

The money we raise is going to the Disasters Emergency Committee, a British umbrella organisation that is distributing funds between various humanitarian charities working on the ground in Haiti. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer.

We know that we're not exactly climbing Everest but please see this appeal for pennies as just another way to give money to this worthwhile cause.

Thank you very much,

Francesca