JustGiving: Going to the Extreme

To read the 60 Postcards story so far, you can can check out my guest blog post for SkyLightRain here.

Slight amendment to the Friday post as I stupidly assumed I would be able to post from the secret meadows in Suffolk where I went for a hen do! Ooops. My bad.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago in my post Social Media at its Best, there seems to be a recent increase of articles and campaigns on raising awareness of important causes. Along with this there are many JustGiving fundraisers happening. From BBQs to bake sales, from fun runs to skydives, it is incredible to hear about so many doing their bit for charity. I have a plan to throw a massive fundraising party in the last quarter of 2014 and have already started brainstorming ideas with great friend and Paris Crew member, Clare. More to follow on that in the coming later in the year!

Today I want to highlight two challenges where people are really going to the extreme for their causes. Even reading about them has made me out of breath.

Introducing Brunel and Dan……

Brunel

I heard about Brunel’s challenge from the lovely, Jen. Jen has followed my blog from the very beginning and we have been in touch on email for months. I was so glad to get the chance to finally meet her in person at the gathering I held in Kings Cross just over a week ago. When we were chatting she mentioned Brunel and his amazing attempt to raise a huge amount of money through JustGiving and I was keen to share on one of my posts.

Brunel’s update on his journey:

“Last year I set myself a very ambitious and somewhat crazy target of raising £50,000 for the St Marks Hospital charity foundation. This is the only recognised charity that raises specific funds for the research that goes into St Marks Hospital. I owe more to St Marks than words can describe as I have lost count of the number of times that they have saved and transformed the life of my wife Laura. The research that St Marks is doing, if successful, will have a direct impact on my wife and her quality of life and hence there is no question with regards to my motivation in getting to my £50,000 target.

This is obviously a very large sum of money and as a result, every year I plan to do some quite simply “stupid” things in order to raise awareness and to hopefully raise sponsorship in the process. I’m clear in my mind that I will keep going until I get to my target.

The challenges:

ITU World Triathlon – COMPLETED

Blenheim Triathlon – COMPLETED

London Triathlon

HSBC Triathlon

The Iron Man

The Mega Avalanche

The PRU 100 London

And the London to Brighton for fun!

The next event is MEGA, MEGA, MEGA and may involve an avalanche or two hence it is called the Mega Avalanche!

In 3 weeks time, a team of 4 head over to the French Alps again to compete in this simply stupid race as my wife calls it. The aim of this race is simply to get from the highest moving glacier in Europe to the bottom as quickly as possible through any chosen route. Tour de France riders go up the main mountain Alpe d’heuz, on roads and we come down it from the top of Pic Blanc in under an hour through ice, snow, rock, mud and anything else we can find over the 30k route.

Crikey! I love Brunel’s pure determination to raise this money by pushing himself to do these outrageously tough quests! This next one sounds like it will be quite the experience!

Facebook Page  |  JustGiving Page

 Dan

Dan is an old friend from school and is the older brother of my good friend Luke, who I spend many a hang out eve in London with (and is also the hero who gave me his laptop to finish the book, when mine was stolen from my typing hands!). Luke told me all about Dan’s incredible task and then after finding out more, I was desperate to spread the word further…..

Dan lives down in Devon with his wife, Hannah, and while he is not busy working as a heating engineer/plumber for his business Murdoch & King, he is an avid member of the North Devon Road Runners. Dan is an endurance runner and I can only sit and read in amazement as I struggle to believe how I could possibly complete a ten minute jog right now.

What is he doing? SEVEN MARATHONS IN SEVEN DAYS, STARTING TOMORROW! Yes, you heard that right. 185 Miles, 26.2 miles everyday – he is start starting at St Agnes, Cornwall and running all along the south-west coast path to Wollacombe.

Dan has been inspired to do this by his brother-in-law, Arthur, who has experienced type 1 diabetes. Dan has passion behind this run and in the process would like to raise as much as he can for Diabetes UK.

Dan has hit the local papers with his brave and extreme challenge and as quoted explains, “I have been training hard so that I will be ready. Knowing that I am running for diabetes UK, which is such an important cause, will spur me on.”

Facebook Page  |  JustGiving Page

The mind boggles. The physical and emotional strength that these two young men must have for their JustGiving fundraising events is utterly admirable.

I wish both of them the very best of luck with their challenges and I look forward to hearing how they get on.

Must. Exercise. More. (I think it is about time I sign up for a race, as small as it may be.)

Love as always,

Rachael xxx

P.S Apologies again for the change to the post day but I will be back with you on Tuesday.