Help those less fortunate than yourself; postpone your next night out, weekend away or luxury purchase and instead donate that money to a local charity. Be positive, be brave, be awesome.
Peru Cycling Challenge
Katie and I cycled 500km across Peru, from Lake Titicaca through the Andes to the city of Cusco, during the first week of November 2006. We made it to the end of this gruelling expedition without falling from our bikes or succumming to altitude sickness 15,000 feet above see level.
After the momentous journey we visited the lost city of Machu Picchu, explored the Amazon Rainforest and stayed with my cousin in Peru’s capital, Lima.
Thank you to everyone who supported us during 2006. We raised more than £6,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. www.justgiving.com/perucyclingchallenge
My Friend John
My friend John Robert Pybus was killed in a road accident on 2nd November 2007 at the age of 33, leaving a wife, Helen and daughter, Zoe. He was the innocent victim of a negligent driver trying too hard to get to work on time. Neither of them made it in that day.
I first met John at university in 1994 and he, together with the rest of the Ashford Street gang, became great friends. We grew from teenagers to adults during our time studying at Staffordshire University and in the years that followed.
John’s wife Helen requested that his friends donate money to Brake, the road safety charity, rather than buy the family flowers. So, I set up a web page to make it easy for anyone who wished to donate. John was an advocate of the Internet, it helped us keep in touch, so it seemed an appropriate way to share our sorrow.
We raised £1,700 in memory of John for the Brake road safety charity.
www.justgiving.com/johnpybus
The Longest Day Golf Challenge
My friend Andrew Wilson lost his partner to cancer in the summer of 2008. Debbie and Andy had decided during their battle with the decease that they would raise money for the Douglas Macmillan Trust, which helped them and their family through Debbie’s fight with cancer. The (day after the) longest day golf challenge took place a year later on the 22nd June 2009, at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stone, Barlaston and Trentham Golf Clubs.
A team of sixteen golfers and their support teams set out at 4.30am to play four rounds of golf before sunset. I was team two photographer, caddy, driver and chearleader throughout the day. We finished first of the four teams and well before the sunset deadline.
On the following Saturday one hundred of Andy’s friends held a barbeque to celebrate their success and to raise more funds through a variety of entertaining events on the night.
In total Andy’s friends raised over £8,000. Thank you to everyone who sponsored the players and donated money to the Douglas Macmillan Trust in Debbie’s memory.