One Day. One Big Swim. One Goal - End Polio Now -25th February 2012

Hi Paul here, finally back in the land of blogging - have I got a great story to tell though!

As I posted last February, I've found a whole new and fantastic way to make a difference with Rotary International - an incredible network of 1.2 million members in over 200 countries doing service and charity projects in their communities locally and overseas. And as you'll see below - our Rotary Club have got a very special event.

Imagine swimmers in dozens of countries across all 6 continents of the world coming together on one day to swim and raise funds which will help us complete the mission to finally eradicate Polio from this earth

Come take a look!

Welcome to the Official Rotary Global Swimarathon Blog!

First the local pool next stop the world - ROTARY SWIMARATHON!

Having achieved my Rotary membership on 24th January, I'm very excited that I'm about to take part in my first major fundraising event, which is the Swimarathon, taking place over this coming weekend Friday 4th -Sunday 6th Feburary. This is a longstanding annual event run by the Rotary Club of Grantham, and attracts thousands of participants throughout the weekend. Teams of up to 6 , swim in a lane for an hour at a time over at the Grantham Meres Leisure Centre, and collect sponsorship for their efforts.

Since it's first running in 1989, its raised a remarkable £500,000 which goes towards the eradication of Polio worldwide as well as to support local and community charities. Last year alone the total amount raised was some £49,000 and its popularity has continued to grow.

So much so that for the year 2012, there are plans in place for a Global Swimarathon to take place on the Rotary International day of 25th February. At 12pm GMT, the plan is to get as many Rotary clubs as possible across the world to take part in a one hour swimarathon. The hope is to establish a new Guinness World Record for the most people swimming at the same time

More to follow on the Global Swimarathon, but for now please, please take a look at the swimarathon website to get an idea of what it's all about. And if anyone really wants to see me in my trunks, I'll be swimming in the Rotary team on Saturday evening. Even better if you would be so very kind enough to sponsor me!!

Here are the links - Thanks!!

http://www.justgiving.com/Charity/Donate.aspx?cid=185007

http://rotaryswimarathon.org/

Good to be back!

Well it's certainly been a while since I've blogged!

Back out there in "the real world" over the last few months, I've been making some significant and positive changes to really improve my health and wellbeing.

It took another period of being stressed at work and seeing the blood pressure and weight creep up again to make me come to the realisation that I really had to do something about it.

So I've had some time out to revaluate my priorities, get myself mentally and physically back into shape. I've been fortunate enough to have spent a significant period of time working from home both before, during and after the christmas holidays which has really given me the chance to get things back into proper order.

Having got back into balance, I've been able to shed several pounds in weight, and really get all round fitness much better. In fact I've already learned so much I've decided to set up a separate blog to chart my progress and offer real-world proven advice at http://magicdarts-fitforlife.blogspot.com/ - no followers as yet so if you'd like to take a look I'd really appreciate it.

I've improved the way I go about tasks, both in my work life and personal life. Instead of always trying to do everything at once and flitting between jobs, I've got a much more methodical and less stressful approach worked out.

In the context of this blog and what I'm trying to do here, I came to the conclusion that in order to feel in myself that I'm really out there making a difference, it's time for me to find a way to volunteer my services to the local community. I'm very excited to say that I have found something very special that is going to become a lifetime commitment.

Hopefully some of you out there will be aware of Rotary International and the work they do. Essentially, it's a network of some 1.2 million business professionals in some 33,000 diferent clubs around the globe, volunteering their time to help out both locally and internationally. I'm very proud to announce that as of next Monday I will be inducted into my local club in Grantham.

So with all the fantastic ongoing projects they are involved in including a global eradicate polio campaign, there's going to be plenty for me to report on over the coming weeks and months. Also, hoping to link up with as many fellow rotarians as possible in the online community, and maybe convince one or two others to join up - believe me they are an amazing group of people!

Time for me to catch up with the blogging community again - catch up with you really soon!!

Miles of smiles - an important appeal from the heart

I know its been nearly 3 months since I've been blogging here, but there's time for updates in the future - right now I really need your help, to enable a very special little boy get the care he truly needs...

Back in June I wrote on here about little Miles Griffiths and highlighted the charity that providing support for him - this week I got news from his grandma of an extremely worrying development in his care.


Please, please read and show your support by signing the petition at the link below - thankyou so much

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepmilesinfootprints/

http://www.causes.com/causes/534650?m=4d513973





Hi Paul. I'm contacting you to ask if you would be kind enough to help my family again (!)......As you may recall I have an 8 year old grandson, Miles Griffiths. He currently lives in a childrens nursing home, Footprints, in Canterbury, Kent and has been supported by the wonderful Charity Kent Kids whom you highlighted on your blog. Social Services then stepped in to help financially.


In their infinite wisdom (for reasons of economy ) Social Services have now decided that Miles should be placed in foster care and have lined up totally unsuitable foster carers over-riding my daughter and her husband's wishes. Whilst these foster carers are very pleasant people, they have no experience of caring for a severely mentally and physically disabled child. Miles is recieving excellent care at Footprints, he is well, happy and settled. It is nothing short of cruel to disrupt him and he would simply not understand what was happening to him.

Miles cannot speak for himself so we are acting for him, he is not an unwanted child, he is much loved and cherished by his family.


We have launched a petition called Keep Miles At Footprints.



Please, please consider signing this petition and if you are a Facebook member, joining our cause.

Links below:-

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepmilesinfootprints/







Original Blog :

No matter what kind of day I've had, there's one thing that's always guaranteed to bring on instant happiness.


Every time I see my little boy's face light up with wonder, beaming a huge smile back at me, suddenly all the troubles of the world just melt away.

1) Miles of smiles miles-of-smiles.org.uk



You may well have seen the link on the right hand side of this blog as I first featured this charity a month or so ago after a fellow writer on dooyoo told me all about it as it provides much needed care for her grandson.

Kent Kids Miles of Smiles was founded in March 1993, with the sole aim of spreading some sunshine into the lives of sick and disabled children. It's a small regional British charity that has really struggled for funding during the recession, so I'm more than happy to give it any extra promotion that I can.


The lady in question kindly gave me her permission to publish an extract from the deeply moving message she wrote to me - I think you'll agree it's much more powerful and personal than anything I could write here myself

I just wanted to mention a charity very close to my heart, Kent Kids, Miles of Smiles. They are a Kent based children's charity, who have supported my young grandson, Miles Griffiths, for over 18 months. Miles was born with spastic quadriplegia, he is 8 this year but cannot sit, mobilise, speak or even swallow due to his condition.

He is fed via a jejunostomy tube into his bowel (as his stomach does not work) and his care needs are so great that my daughter was unable to continue caring for him at home. She has two other children and was becoming ill with the sheer hard work involved after 6 years care giving with little or no help.









We try to do our bit for the charity and support their fundraising ventures, but as you can imagine the current recession has hit the charity's donations very hard. If you would consider highlighting Kent Kids on your blog, I would be very grateful