We have the best friends and family in the world, I think! They have to date donated £2,100 to the charities we are supporting. Isn’t that amazing, when we still have almost four months to go?
Not only that, but we have been the beneficiaries of several items from kind people to help us on our way. As it was a sunny day, I thought I would try my donated kit out.
So here I am, kitted out from top to bottom in gifts to take up Kili.
On top is a cap kindly given by Baraka Community Partnerships.
Then there is a trendy pink T-shirt, provided by Catching Lives to assist in fund-raising.
Over that is a back pack, complete with a camel hydration pack gifted by walking buddy Anne S.
Below that is pair of purple thermal base layer pants – a present from Paula, the lovely nun I cook with at Catching Lives.
At the base is a pair of gaiters, provided by my handsome husband Stewart.
In my hands are the Nordic Walking Poles which Jae’s stalwart mother-in-law Pat can sadly no longer use, because she has Motor Neurone Disease.
And I know that I will soon have the gift of a cosy and pretty pair of cashmere socks from my Dutch friend Gerda: the first pair she ordered turned out to be too small.
And now – the icing on the cake. I can hardly believe this. This week an absolutely fantastic friend offered to match pound for pound however much money we raise before we set off for Kili – up to a maximum of £5,895!!!!!! Our initial target was £5,895 representing a pound for every metre of Mount Kilimanjaro’s height. So if we make anything like that, and our friend doubles it, we could end up with a total of over 10K. We might have a pound for every metre we have to climb up and another pound for every metre we climb down too. What a difference this would make to our charities: it could really change some lives and “catch” some others.
So with the amazing news that our lovely friend will match all donations, it means that if you donate before we go (or if you already have – thanks lots!) your donation will be worth much, much more. If you donate £50 and use Gift Aid, the real value of your donation to our charities will now be £125!!! The projects we are supporting are all relatively small so it’s a great opportunity to make a difference. If you would like to donate please just pop over to our VirginMoneyGiving page – it’s really easy.
Thanks so much! Sheila, Jae & Oscar xxx