Be part of a very special delivery service!

It's always great when you can connect up previous blog entries and themes, and I’m pleased to say that today’s post is a prime example of that.

A couple of weeks back, I wrote about the tireless campaigning being done by Serena Low to raise awareness globally about epilepsy as well as much needed research funds.

If you get chance, please take a look at her blog and if you are on twitter please click on the pink ribbon on the right hand side of this page to show your support.

http://www.epilepsylegacy.blogspot.com/

So while I was on her site, I took a look at the links to see if there was an epilepsy charity that I could support in the UK. I clicked on some of the links and in the process discovered that one of my absolute favourite comedians Russell Howard, was about to run the London marathon along with his sister and his younger brother Daniel who has epilepsy, in support of the National Society for Epilepsy.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Russell-Howard/6532933343?ref=mf


Pleased to report that Russell finished the course in a very impressive four hours and 20 minutes, and is more than half way to achieving his £10,000 fundraising target – see link below

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=russellhowardsrunning&isTeam=true

And now to the third link in this particular chain of positivity.

Russell also happens to host his own weekly topical comedy show called Good News. Having seen the marathon footage, it reminded me that I had one of his shows recorded on Sky plus to catch up on.

As the title suggests, one of the key elements is the show, is that every week, in the middle of all the gags and topical stuff, Russell always takes time out to share inspirational stories.

I have to say that this particular feature really captured my imagination.

He told the story of an incredible young lady called Vikki, who for the past 7 years as been essentially bed bound suffering with severe Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

Rather than dwelling on her own condition, she drew inspiration from all the cards and post she was sent to cheer her up and how much they meant to her and came up with the idea of Postpals.

http://www.postpals.co.uk/

Basically, all the sick and seriously ill children registered with her site get post and gifts sent to them from all over the world.

In her words “When I first became bedbound I was sent so many cards it wasn’t long before my walls and ceiling were covered, it became my reason to wake up each day. 
It was this that gave me the idea for Post Pals, although I hoped it would "catch on" I didn't dream it would touch as many lives as it has, both families with seriously ill children and of the volunteers around the world. I'm so very proud of it! I do the running of Post Pals from bed with a laptop, and my room (and I confess a big chunk of my parents house) looks like a cross between a mail room and a toy shop!"

Please , please take a look at the site - if this doesn't move you I really don't know what will. 

Everyone of us can play a part, as well as post, people can send emails, donate to support the service. What could possibly be more rewarding than knowing that a few minutes of your day could mean so much to a poorly little one.

Thanks for reading

Let me get some running shoes and lead you through the streets of London!

Last Sunday, one of the most inspirational events in the British sporting calendar, the London Marathon celebrated it's 30th running. 


I can well remember as a 10 year old sports fanatic, being glued to the screen throughout the very first running, as we were taken on a whistle-stop tour round all the great and historic treasures of the city. 


Then at the finale, as they ran through the 385 yards of the Royal Mall, the two leading runners joined hands and crossed the line together. A moment of true sportsmanship to mark the beginning of a very special annual event.


From those 6,000 or so runners who took part in the very first race, its popularity has just grown and grown - this year a record 36,000 runners completed the course, and in total nearly 3/4 of a million runners have completed the gruelling 26 mile event. We


But whilst it remains a serious athletic event, attracting the very best runners from around the globe, its enduring success is founded on the incredible efforts of the masses of runners who take part to help numerous different charities . 


According to race organisers, it is now established as the largest single annual fund raising event in the world. Estimates of the total annual amount raised are between £40 and £50 million and well over 75% of participants do so in support of good causes.


So I think you'll agree a very positive way to start the new week.


Continuing on the theme, one of my fellow online writers, Mr Ivor Reveley, is preparing to face a very special running challenge of his own, starting next weekend in London. As I've written in a previous entry, Ivor is taking part in a gruelling challenge to run the 90 Kilometres from London to Brighton over the May Bank Holiday weekend on behalf of CASPA - Children on the Autistic Spectrum Parents association.


Ivor's 16 year old son Matthew has Autism with complex additional needs. 


Ivor not only helped found the charity which started out as a small parental support group but is fully committed as the chair and trustee of the charity, organising special events and workshops for young people with autism.

You can read much more about how you can get involved and support their efforts at http://fourdaysrunning.blogspot.com/


Also a big thank you to a much more established member of the blogging community, Mandy Southgate, who took the time out to meet with Ivor and highlight his efforts on her own Emm in London blog at http://missus-emm.blogspot.com/2010/03/running-for-autism.html


It really means a lot when people like Mandy take the time out to help us relative minnows in the blogging universe to get much needed publicity and support and she's also been to visit my recent blog entries around the Makomborero Zimbabwe project I highlighted last week. Really, I'd highly recommend to take a look at her work - all of us blogging novices can learn a huge amount from it!


Thanks for reading!

Making a difference in her own back yard - please help end this cruelty

Another fellow review writer Angie who I know from dooyoo (http://dooyoo.co.uk), recently got in touch with me to ask if I could throw the spotlight on animal cruelty and more specifically the appalling conditions in which Battery Hens are forced to exist. 


Although I always try to buy free range labelled eggs, having read this, in future I for one am 100% definitely going to make sure I never purchase any eggs that doesn't make it absolutely clear that they are free range.


It is a clearly a cause to which she is very personally committed to, even to the point of caring for ex Battery hens at her own home. Despite her best efforts over the past year, sadly, the emaciated bird "little red" shown below in the picture  recently lost its fight for life.

Here's an extract from a review she wrote about the plight of these birds which she has kindly given permission for me to reproduce here. 


Although it really makes for uncomfortable reading, please do take a look and if you can please pay a visit to the websites of the charities highlighted.

"As an owner of 3 ex battery hens and very passionate about their plight I have decided to write this in the hope that it may do some good and save a few hens from suffering. 

Battery egg hens live in a tiny cage made of wire, the space they have is about the size of an A4 sheet of paper, so they hardly move. All they can do is to eat, drink and lay egg after egg. Deprived of normal chicken behaviour they will pull out the feathers of hens in nearby cages.


Lights are kept on for longer to encourage them to lay more, this puts a great deal of strain onto their bodies and causes more health problems.


Injuries are common and often not noticed or treated. Broken legs and torn ligaments are not uncommon.

Without being able to scratch around their nails grow long causing more discomfort.

Between 14 and 18 months the hen is of no more use because her egg production drops. At this stage one of 2 things will happen, either she will get lucky and end up being taken by a hen rescue organisation or she will be taken to slaughter and end up in dog food and baby food...yes that's correct baby food!

Makomborero Zimbabwe - a quick correction

Hi!

 Just to let you know in last nights blog I incorrectly posted the wrong URL for the Makomborero charity home page - it should be http://www.makomborero.info - Thanks to fellow blogger Emm for spotting that one.

Also here as promised, are some of the pictures that aren't visible on the previous entry:

For some reason I can't seem to edit the original blog , and I don't want to lose the comments I have, especially as I have one from the Albertyns on that entry, which will take you directly to their blog.

Building in progress:

Before:

After:

Assembly!

Please go and say hello to Mark and Laura , I know your support would mean an awful lot to them.

http://albertynzim.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading!