Please support me in my efforts to raise funds for War Child. As always, any support is much appreciated!

I am covering my own entry fee, travel and accommodation costs so all donations go directly to War Child. Every. last. penny.   :-)

The event...

In a last minute streak of madness I have decided to take part in the London Triathlon on the 2nd August. No, I am not fit and no, I am not prepared but considering I have the opportunity to support the work of such a wonderful charity - War Child, how could I not put the little fitness and equipment I have to good use and take part?!

While in England, I will not just be relaxing. Instead I will be competing in my second ever Olympic distance triathlon which involves a 1.5km swim in the Thames River followed by a 40km cycle ride and to finish it all off - a 10km run. Considering my current training (or serious lack of) this will be a challenge for me but one that I would like to take on to support War Child.

War Child (http://www.warchild.org.uk/about/our-strategy)

Vision: War Child looks forward to a world in which the lives of children are no longer torn apart by war.

Mission: War Child's mission is to support and improve the protection and care of children and young people who live with a combination of insecurity, poverty and exclusion in some of the worst conflict-affect places.

War Child is a specialist agency. They work in countries devastated by armed conflict. They need to be organised and imaginative enough to operate amongst multiple risks. They need to have the persistence and skill to help children suffering the worst effects of violence including child soldiers, victims of rape and abduction, disabled children and street children. War Child are often very close to the fighting, but they need to be committed to standing by children and families long enough to provide them the best possible assistance in overcoming their experiences.

War Child have three ways of working:

- Direct service delivery (often through local partner organisations)

- Capacity building through investment in local structure and communities.

- Advocacy in-country and globally in order to change attitudes and policies.

War Child aim to deliver three life saving interventions:

- Protection - of children, their families and their communities

- Education and 

- Livelihoods

If you would like to learn more about the work of War Child and the countries they operate in, please visit their website here: http://www.warchild.org.uk/