Chinese Whispers

Time flies when you're having fun....

2010-04-08T20:32:00.003+01:00

Oh my! Where does the time go?! I've been so manic with fundraising, training and general preparations that I've managed to let 3 whole months pass by without writing anything at all on here! What's more, there is now only 4 short weeks left to go before I actually leave for China!!!

Excited?! Just a little!!!

So, what have I been up to for all of that time? Well.....

Fundraising - the major fundraising event was a Circus themed party in February which raised a total of £407! There was a disco, jugglers, fancy dress, face painting,a raffle and even food donated by Luke's Dad!! It was a great evening and I know everyone who came had a fabulous time. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped to make it such a success including Tracie Wadeley, Evelyn Murray, Michelle Clarke, Luke Carter and the jugglers (and his Dad of course!) to name but a few!
There have also been a few car boot sales although I must admit, they have been a lot of hard work for little return.. I'm hoping there will be some nicer weather soon where I can give it one last shot!
Of course there have also been lots of donations from friends and family along the way and I am so very grateful to everyone who has supported me.

Training - I've been out walking at weekends quite regularly now with the Bears Walking group and am thoroughly enjoying it. It doesn't even feel like training because I always have such an enjoyable day and there's no shortage of good company. With 4 weeks to go, I am stepping it up a bit and heading out on both saturdays and sundays now to get used to walking on consecutive days. Big thanks to anyone who has offered to come out walking with me!
I've also been trying to do other training during the week such as running and cycling which will hopefully have helped with my general fitness.

Other stuff - in amongst all of that I've been getting jabs, applying for visa's, shopping for kit and generally trying to be prepared!!!

Phew!!!

So, I'd better get back to it all!

Thanks again everyone!

xx

Lets all be a little more grateful

2009-12-30T00:10:00.004Z

I saw an article in the paper this morning on something called a Gratitude Diary and it motivated me to research the concept a little further. I came across a blog about this very subject which had this particular article in it;

Seen this?
I AM GRATEFUL:FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED.FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE.FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLE AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.AND FINALLY, I AM GRATEFUL FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

I think its an absolutely fantastic sentiment and we should all be a little more grateful for what we've got. So I'm starting my diary today. Why dont you start one too?

There is a link to the original article here.

xxx

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-20T22:21:00.003Z

Christmas is well and truly on its way..only 5 sleeps to go as my son keeps reminding me! Today, I had a fantastic training session - a sunday walk with the Bear's walking group along a festive theme. We walked along Christmas Hill and past Christmas farm and even had a dusting of snow to crunch beneath our feet. It was bitterly cold but the atmosphere and views were certainly worth it and a lunch stop that included mulled wine and mince pies also helped us through!
Its a little under 20 weeks now until I leave for China and somewhere in amongst all the fundraising work (I still need to raise another £1375!) I need to get in some serious training time! The sunday walks are certainly helping but I'll need to step it up in the New Year. I'm planning to make use of the treadmill I have at home and then try and get in any other form of exercise I can by building things into what I do every day such as using the stairs where possible and also ditching the car on short journeys. All help and motivation will certainly be appreciated and if anyone fancies coming walking any type please give me a shout!
In the meantime, I'm going to kick back for a week and enjoy the festivities with my family before the hard work begins!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

xxx

Circus Party!!

2009-12-16T22:04:00.003Z

Finally, I can announce that my next major event will be an exciting circus themed party!! It should be lots and lots of fun and I'm extremely grateful to everyone who's helping me out so that I can do it. Here are the details;

The Greatest Show On Earth!

Fun for all ~ Disco ~ Entertainers ~ Face Painting
Fancy dress optional! Prizes for the best outfit!

Appearing one day only: Saturday 6th February 2010
Show Time: 6:30pm Children’s Hour
7:30pm Main Event
Tickets: £5 adults, £2 child

in aid of The British Heart Foundation
(Registered Charity no.225971)
Donate at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers

Join us under the Big Top at King George Memorial Hall, Stratford Road, Hockley Heath, Solihull, B94 5NH

Why not bring along a friend?

Tickets must be bought in advance so please get in touch if you're interested!!

See you there!

Time to focus

2009-11-25T22:39:00.005Z

The countdown is on!!! There are only 80 days until 80% of my fundraising target has to reach the coffers of the British Heart Foundation! Time to focus!

Thank you to all of those lovely, generous people who have been donating over the last few weeks, bringing the grand total to a random but amazing total of £1058.90!!!!!!
Only £1061.10 to go before the 12th Feb..... come on, someone must have the 10p down the back of the sofa?!!! Every little really does count guys!

I'm launching a full blown nag attack on all of my friends and family to help with this crucial next leg of fundraising... the second £1000! What with the recession and Christmas its a tough time to be asking but everyone so far has been fabulous so I'm confident that with the fantastic support of my family and friends it can be done!

I'm at the Hockley Heath Christmas Bazaar this coming saturday selling handmade cards again so if you're local please do pop along.. I'm told there will even be an appearance by Santa! It all kicks off at 11am.
Then the following saturday I'm having a good old sort out of little man's old toys and clothes and selling them at the King George Memorial Hall Baby Sale. He knows its all going to charity and has been amazingly helpful and understanding for a 5 year old! I'm very proud of him. He's even talked of starting his own charity when he's older to help people like Mummy does....bless!

As always, if you'd like to sponsor me you can do so at www.original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers

Thank You!!

And the winner is.......

2009-11-15T20:59:00.002Z

A big big thank you goes to Trevor Thomas, who's massive generosity has taken the total over £1000!!!!!! Amazing!

Trevor has won a a few bottles of his favourite real ale as a small token of my appreciation.

Here's to the next £1000!!

As always, if you'd like to sponsor me you can do so at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers

Thank you!!

Pounds make prizes!!

2009-11-12T20:57:00.004Z

A big thank you to those people who have recently sponsored me... I really do appreciate every penny and its going towards such a great charity!

The total is edging closer to my first £1000 so as a token of my appreciation I'm offering a prize to the person that takes me over that special £1000 mark!!! Only £95 to go!

So as always, if you'd like to sponsor me you can do so at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers and you might just be that lucky prize winner!!!

Thank you!

What's Next?

2009-11-10T14:53:00.004Z

So far I've managed to raise an amazing £885!! I'm really pleased that I've got this far but there's still a long way to go! £1800 more in fact! So what's next to raise more money?

At the moment I've got a stall booked at the Hockley Heath Christmas Bazaar at the King George Memorial Hall, Stratford road, Hockley Heath on saturday 28th November to sell some more hand made Christmas cards.

I've also got a stall booked at the Baby Sale at the same address on the 5th December where I'll be clearing out all of my sons old toys and clothes to sell. If you're local please do pop along to one or both of these events.

I'm also planning on selling some of my own belongings for the cause and my Mum has also offered up some unwanted stuff to raise some more money - thank you Mum!

Plans are afoot for another shot at a fundraising party too, hopefully with an interesting theme.... fingers crossed for this one!

I have until early february to get 80% of the money into the coffers at the British Heart Foundation which is looking to be a big ask so I'll be pulling out all the stops between now and then.

As always, if you'd like to sponsor me you can do so at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers

Thank you!

Rescheduling for the New Year

2009-11-06T11:30:00.002Z

With a week to go before the party night unfortunately there are not enough people committed to attend to make the night viable. This is really disappointing but I am hoping to reschedule for late Jan/early Feb.

I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who have been involved in the organising and those of you who have supported me so far - I really am grateful. I've managed to raise an amazing £865 so far and I couldn't have done it without your help.The British Heart Foundation does some truly amazing work and every penny raised really does help. If you'd like to know some of the ways in which the funds raised could help have a look at their website http://www.bhf.org.uk/default.aspx

There's still lots of hard work to do, my target to raise is £2650 so there's still £1800 to go!

I've got some lovely handmade Christmas cards for sale - drop me a line if you're interested in buying some. I'm also offering to help out with present wrapping over the festive season for voluntary donations so if you hate the hassle of wrapping lots of presents give me a shout too.

If anyone who hasn't already would like to sponsor me you can do so at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers.

Thank You!

Walking wonders!

2009-11-03T23:58:00.002Z

Now I'm cracking on with the fundraising, and time is ticking on, I thought it was about time that I turned my attention to some sort of training. Lets face it... its going to be tough walking all that way if I cant even run for a bus without sounding like a heavy breather and collapsing into a heap in front of the driver! And what better way of training for a trek than.... well, trekking?
I've managed to find a lovely local 20's and 30's walking group that organise walks every sunday and even stop for a few beers after (well, you need something to keep your strength up after all that exercise!). They even allow for those heavy saturday nights by starting at 10:30am! I've done a couple of walks with them already and have met some lovely people so I'm looking forward to becoming a regular. They are called Bear Walking group and you can check out their website here.

Thank You Ladies!!!

2009-10-28T20:00:00.003Z

Ladies Night went really well and I'm pleased to announce that it raised a grand total of £325!!!!! Wow!!!

A BIG BIG thank you to absolutely everyone involved that made raising that amount possible, all the lovely ladies who had tables at the event, everyone who donated prizes, helpers on the night and of course all those gorgeous ladies who attended the night and made it work!!

The next fundraising event for me is Harborne Christmas Fair on Sunday 1st November. I'm having a table there selling handmade Christmas and other occasion cards. If your local, feel free to pop along and see whats going on there! Its at Moorpool Hall, The Circle, Harborne and starts at 11am.

After that its Party time!! Saturday 14th November is the date for my next fundraising party being held at the King George Memorial Hall, Hockley Heath. Tickets are £5 each and must be paid for in advance. Children are also welcome at an additional cost of £1 each. Get in touch if you're interested in coming along!!

As always, if you'd like to sponsor me you can do so at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers

Thank you!

One for the girls!

2009-10-22T01:03:00.003+01:00

Ladies Night is tonight!!!!!!

This is my first major fundraising event and I'm incredibly nervous! I'm keeping everything crossed that it all goes well!!!

The final line up for the night is the Body Shop at Home, Party Lite, Pampered Chef, jewellery, handmade cards, childrens clothes, manicures and pedicures for those who've booked (sorry, no more slots available!) and a scrummy chocolate fountain! Plus a raffle and a game of guess the number of jelly beans in the jar! Phew!

If you're interested in coming along feel free to just turn up!

As always, if you'd like to sponsor me you can do so at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers/

Thank you!

Thank You Simple!

2009-10-15T20:26:00.004+01:00

The lovely people at Simple have also sent me a donation for the raffle on Ladies Night.
You can check out their website here and if you register with them they will send you details of offers and freebies. Fabulous!

There's still time to book tickets for Ladies Night too! There will be lots of fab things there to look at such as Body shop at Home, Pampered Chef and Party Lite plus wine and nibbles, so bring the girlies for a fab night out!

As always you can sponsor me at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers/

Thanks!

Thank You Nivea!

2009-09-22T12:56:00.004+01:00

I had a lovely surprise in the post the other day, the lovely people at Nivea have very kindly sent me a gift pack to add to the fundraising raffle at Ladies Night on 22nd Oct.
You can check out their website here - they have lots of information on skin care, their product ranges and fab competitions too!

In other news, tickets are now on sale for a fundraising party in Hockley Heath, Solihull. There'll be a disco, dancing, licensed bar, possibly some karaoke and other fun and games! Tickets are £5 and must be bought in advance. Get in touch if you'd like to come!

As always, if you'd like to sponsor me you can do so at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers/

Thank you!

Thank You Twinings

2009-09-17T11:28:00.002+01:00

I've been writing to various companies over the last week asking for their support, be it in monetary terms or raffle donations or anything else that they can spare. Unfortunately quite a few can't help as they are already to committed to other funding such as their own corporate charities. But, the lovely people at Twinings are the first to have sent a lovely gift for me to raffle off. So a big, big thank you to Twinings!! Check out their website - http://www.twinings.co.uk/ - they have lots of different yummy flavoured teas and if you pop along to the Ladies Night on 22nd Oct you can enter the raffle to win some.

In other news, the Ladies Night is now being advertised on the new Hockley Heath website - http://www.hockleyheath.org.uk/ - thanks to Tracie for putting it on for me!

As always, remember you can sponsor me at http://www.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers

Thank you!

Ladies Night!!!

2009-09-13T19:20:00.001+01:00

To help fundraise I am organising a ladies night on Thursday 22nd October in Hockley Heath, Solihull.

It’s going to be a night to get together with the girls, have a glass of wine and some nibbles, do some shopping and relax! There will be a chance to book a manicure or pedicure, have a look at some products from the Body Shop and much more! (Manicures and pedicures must be booked in advance, at an additional cost of £5)

Tickets are £5 which includes entry, a glass of wine (or juice), nibbles and a free sample from the Body Shop.

If you are interested in coming along or want to know more please get in touch! Feel free to invite any other ladies who may be interested too!

Many thanks for your support - as always you can sponsor me at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers

Thanks!!!

Dates for your diary

2009-09-11T11:51:00.000+01:00

Just a quick heads up on some fundraising events................

Thursday 22nd Oct - Ladies night, Solihull
Sunday 1st Nov - Christmas Shopping Event, Harborne
Saturday 14th Nov - Disco, Solihull

More details to come soon!!!!!!

In the meantime you can sponsor me at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers

Thanks!!

Its a long road....

2009-09-02T14:40:00.001+01:00

Just to give a bit of an update of where I'm up to with my challenge....

Funds raised so far are £185 (thats £2465 to go!!!!) but there's plenty in the pipeline which should vastly improve this! Upcoming events include a disco and karaoke night, pamper evening and possibly a night at the dogs and paintballing! I'll keep everyone posted on dates and details!

I'm also continuing to sell handmade cards and am hoping to have a stall at a craft fair in November to promote and sell these.

A few people have also donated items to me to be sold to raise money - if anyone has anything that they would like to donate please let me know. I'm hoping to fit in a car boot sale over the next few weeks or larger items will go on ebay.

I am also looking for raffle prizes for the events I'm organising, so again, if anyone has anything they would like to donate please get in touch.

Thanks to everyone who's helped me so far, I'm really grateful!

If you havent already sponsored me and would like to, remember you can do so at http://original.justgiving.com/chinesewhispers If anyone has any suggestions or fundraising ideas please let me know.

Thanks!

Handmade Cards

2009-08-11T21:41:00.007+01:00

I just thought I'd post a few photo's of my cards! These are my favourites so far.

Details, details, details!!

2009-08-08T19:05:00.005+01:00

I've now received my information from Skyline to confirm I'm on the trip and give me details of insurance, itinerary, kit list, injections needed, training plans etc. Its all very exciting but nerve racking too!

In terms of fundraising I've had a few more generous donations and am now making hand made cards to sell too. If anyone's interested in buying any get in touch! They are £1 - £1.50 each.

I'm trying to organise a ladies pamper night as my first event so watch this space for more information on that!

Here's my trek itinerary for anyone interested;

Introduction
Stretching 6000km in a dotted line across China, the Great Wall was begun in the 5th Century BC. As it snakes across the mountains it conjures up a sense of history which is difficult to grasp until you have had the opportunity to experience it.
Our trek is very varied, as we pass through woodland and terraced farmland, and follow the contours of the beautiful hills and mountains in remote areas north of Beijing. We follow old sections of the Great Wall, as well as restored sections with smooth flagstones and lots of steps!
This challenge is physically demanding and offers fabulous scenery and a fascinating insight into a rich culture and history.

Day 1: Depart London for Beijing.

Day 2: Beijing
After a chance to settle in and refresh we will have a welcome meeting and a chance for you to ask any questions about the up and coming trek. Then it’s out for a welcome traditional Peking Duck dinner at one of Beijing’s famous restaurants.

Day 3: Beijing to Huangyaguan
We make the morning journey out of Beijing and catch our first glimpse of the Great Wall ahead of us. After checking into our hotel and some lunch, we set off to the first section of the trek, giving us a good indication on the challenge ahead. Originally built in 557 AD, the Huangyanguan section of the wall was repaired for the first time in Ming Dynasty with bricks and for the second time in 1985. This section is noted for being particularly stunning because of it’s water towers which have all been restored to their former majestic glory. Trekking time approx 3 – 4hours

Day 4: Huangyaguan - Mountain Village
Our hike today leads us out of the hotel as we head up on a restored section. By mid morning we reach the start of “Heavens Ladder", a steep climb of over 200 steps. This is a tough section but we are rewarded with stunning views over the Yanshan Mountains and the region below. After congratulating each other on our achievement we head up again to join the top of the ridge where our path winds around sections of the old wall. In the afternoon we are led down the valley and into a mountain village. Tonight we stay in local family houses, a wonderful opportunity to see what life is like for the people who inhabit this remote area of China, an unforgettable experience. Trekking time approx 5 - 7 hours

Day 5: Mountain Village - Jinshanling
After breakfast, we say goodbye to our hosts and start out to take the steep trail across the farmer's fields up to the wall where Heibei province, Tianjin City and Beijing meet together known as the "Three Bordering Tablet". We then descend and make our way west along the wall until we reach the village of Longmen. We’ll take our lunch here before driving to Jinshanling in late afternoon. Trekking time approx 4 - 5 hours walking

Day 6: Guebikou to Jinshanling
We transfer to the start of the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall. If the weather is good we can see Miyun reservoir and the Wangjing Tower rising in the distance. Jinshanling is one of the best preserved areas of the Great Wall, it was originally made of huge bricks, each of which weighed about 12 kilograms (26 pounds). The section we follow today also had all of its five main passes and 67 watch towers restored making it a truly spectacular hike offering some fantastic photo opportunities. Trekking time approx 5 – 7 hours

Day 7: Jinshanling to Mutianyu
After breakfast we trek east heading to Simatai along a much restored section. Our trek today can been seen for miles as the Wall runs up and down the spine of the mountain. We will take shelter in one of the many watchtowers on the way - you can bet that Ghengis Khan never had it so good when he broke through the Great wall with his Mongol hordes! At the end of the hike today at the Crystal lake you can walk down from the wall or for those wanting something a little less conventional you can take the zip wire off the wall and over the lake to the bottom. A great end to a spectacular day! Our awaiting transport will then take us to our home for the night in nearby Mutianyu. Trekking time approx 5 – 7 hours

Day 8: Mutianyu to Beijing
Today will be our final morning on the Great Wall! After leaving the hotel and passing a small village we start climbing a steep, wooded track to the top of the Wall for our final breath taking views over the far off mountains. The section we join is known to be one of most beautiful parts of the wild Wall in Beijing, loved by many photographers. After our final hike we come back down to the road to meet our bus and drive back to the hustle and bustle of Beijing. After a chance to freshen up, we’ll regroup and head out to our celebration meal held in downtown Beijing a time to reflect on our achievement. Trekking time approx 3 – 4 hours

Day 9: Beijing
Today we take time to explore the capital, jammed packed with its 17 million residence, steeped in history and culture.

Day 10: Beijing to London
Transfer to the airport to fly home.

Dont forget you can sponsor me here!

My first £100!

2009-08-03T19:56:00.004+01:00

Wow! I've already had my first donation! And it was an amazing £100 in one go - I'm so pleased to have got off to such a good start! Here's hoping the generosity continues!

I'm getting to grips with a whole stack of fundrasing ideas at the moment including a paintballing day, night at the dogs, night at Jongleurs, Alton Towers trip, and a beer and skittles night. So many things to choose from that I cant decide which to try and organise first!

I've also had a few donations of things that can be sold to raise money, a colleague has very kindly donated a widescreen TV and stand so if anyone is interested in buying it please let me know!

I'm also going to be resurrecting my creative side and putting together some handmade cards to sell for the cause so again, if anyone is interested please give me a shout!

Everyone that I've spoken to so far or asked for help has been amazing - so a big thank you to anyone who's encouraged me this far!

Dont forget you can sponsor me here too.

Facebook Group

2009-07-29T21:49:00.003+01:00

Still reading through the British Heart Foundation pack and getting my bearings on exactly what I need to do!

But in the meantime, to help let everyone know what I'm doing I've also set up a group on Facebook called Chinese Whispers - Great Wall of China Charity Trek.

And dont forget you can sponsor me here!

Thank You!

Its confirmed!

2009-07-27T21:57:00.003+01:00

I arrived home today to find a rather large brown envelope sat on my doorstep.....and I knew straight away what it was! My Challenge pack from the British Heart Foundation had arrived!

I was as excited as a child at Christmas! I tore it open to find a pile of information leaflets, a lovely BHF t-shirt and a letter. I was so excited I couldnt actually concentrate on reading it all!

All I kept thinking was, 'Oh my!!! This is IT!!!!!'

I'm going to have to read through it all properly over the next few days but I've managed to set up my Just Giving page already so that anyone who wants to sponsor me can get on and do it!

Just click the link in this post or the box at the top of the page.

Thanks!!!

A Change of Plan

2009-07-20T21:53:00.003+01:00

After a looong time of what seemed like standing still I finally have some amazing news!

ITS BOOKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But there's been a bit of a change of plan. I decided to go with a different tour company called Skyline tours. This means that the trek is going to be even sooner than I first anticipated by 5 whole months!!! To say I'm nervous is an understatement! The date is set for the 9th May 2010.
That gives me 6 months to fundraise the minimum required and more if I can!

OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In other news, unfortunately my friend Luke hasnt been able to join me so I'm going it alone!
There will be a large group of people on the actual trek but in the meantime its little old me training and fundraising solo!

Well I'd better get cracking! The clock is ticking!

WISH ME LUCK GUYS!!!!

Bob-a-job!

2009-06-18T21:54:00.005+01:00

Over the last couple of weeks I've been looking into ideas to earn extra cash to raise my deposit; I've considered all sorts of options such as a second job, work from home opportunities and selling all my worldly belongings (who needs a whole heap of junk anyway?!). But my very favourite idea is one that comes from a longstanding tradition. Bob - a - job. Very literally, a bob (5p in old money) for an odd job.
As I cant commit to any regular extra work I thought to myself how can I earn cash on an ad hoc basis? Who would be prepared to pay me for my time and effort in such a random way? Quite literally, lots of people! Different people. People just like you!

So here's what I'm suggesting.....ahem..... imagine perky advertising type voice......

"Do you have any odd jobs that you need help with? Are there household tasks that you have been putting off for ages or regular chores that you cant stand?

Why not let me help you out?

For an agreed upfront contribution I will arrange a suitable date and time to come and do those tasks.

Cleaning
Dog walking
Car washing
Shopping
Decorating
Ironing
Babysitting

These are but a few examples of what I can help with. (Subject to location)

You can get those niggling tasks done and dusted!

If you have a job that you'd like to discuss, please leave a comment with an email address and I'll get in touch."

What do you think? Any takers?

In other news, my darling husband has also joined in with the positivity and is very kindly donating a considerable sum to the cause - thank you honey!! Fingers crossed, it wont be long until I can book my place - hurray!!

Slow Progress

2009-05-28T21:16:00.004+01:00

Its been ages since I've posted here and thats really because I've felt that there's very little to report! I've had a few busy weeks with family and so there's not been as much time as I would have liked for me to be raising money for my deposit. But thats not to say that I haven't been doing anything at all. I've got various, 'irons in the fire' so to speak and hopefully will be able to tell more over the next few weeks. Thanks to Amy's advice I'm off to see a dress agency tomorrow to see if they will take some of my classier clothes and resell them for me - they do take quite a cut of the proceeds but at least it will be something, so fingers crossed for that. I'm also looking into the idea of taking on an extra job (!!!) to raise the cash. More on that soon.
In terms of training, I've also had slow progress, although any progress is better than none. I've managed to get in a few runs but I'm quite disappointed with my level of fitness at the moment. As they say, 'practice makes perfect' so the only course of action is to get out there and get stuck in! I'll keep plodding on!

Charity: British Heart Foundation

2009-05-13T22:32:00.006+01:00

I thought it was about time that I decided on a charity to support for this trek, that way I can make my efforts a bit more focused. After much deliberation I chose the British Heart Foundation. Although I'm not (yet) the most healthy person, I really do believe there's a lot to be said for healthy eating, exercise and looking after your heart.

My personal reasons for supporting this charity have a lot to do with my Dad having a major heart attack a few years ago. Its really quite a shock when something like that happens to someone you know and you begin to realise how fragile life is. Most people take their good health for granted but if we're not careful it can be taken away from us in minutes. I have certainly become a lot more conscious of my health as a result of my Dad's heart attack and avidly read everything I can get my hands on regarding health and nutrition (even if I dont yet follow it all!).

The Britis h Heart Foundation do a fantastic job providing information relating to heart health, heart conditions and general advice on keeping healthy and active. You can even subscribe to their free magazine, 'Heart Matters' and get a pack containing a food diary, healthy eating tips, and a handy measuring tape which shows the healthy range for men and womens waist size. You can sign up he re. I used their online tool to calculate my BMI which shows that I have some way to go before I'm as healthy as I could be!

However, I've also found an excellent motivational tool here. This trendy website takes your height, weight and information about your features to create a computer generated model of you. You can then personalise with clothes and accessories and when you're done you can compare what you look like now with how you could look at your target weight. The picture on the left shows what I might look like after a good few months of hard training! Wish me luck!

Clothes Agency

2009-05-12T21:46:00.004+01:00

I had an email today from the Clothes Agency who I am currently listing my Tommy Hilfiger dress with.

"It is with the deepest regret and sadness that ClothesAgency.com Ltd announces its intention to cease trading. This includes http://www.clothesagency.com/ and it's affiliates."

Obviously I wasn't the only one having trouble selling items on there.

They are continuing to trade online as normal until 30th June 09. So, my dress will stay listed until then.

If anyone is interested in buying the dress, or knows anyone who might be, please go to the website here. Remember, all the proceeds will go towards the trek and my chosen charity!

Hurray for positive people!

2009-05-09T00:24:00.005+01:00

All this doom and gloom in the current economic climate is really quite depressing, what with recession, redundancy, price rises and pay freezes and then there's the swine flu, shootings and hideous weather. Its enough to make you crawl under the bedcovers and never come out!

But there are some people, a brave and steadfast few, who refuse to go along with the hype and stay firmly off the bandwagon. There are those who still look forward to the dawn of each day, that see the hope that each new day brings and grab it with both hands - people who find things to be happy about, make time to give compliments, to smile, to care. A flicker of hope, a few bright, shining, smiley faces among the glum grey population. These are the people we should look to, these are the one's who know what to value and how to live successfully and happily. These are the people that I need around me. These are the people I love, and I say, 'Hurray for postive people!'

Ooops again!

2009-05-07T20:31:00.003+01:00

Since changing my blog layout there have been some technical issues with leaving comments on posts. I've investigated and all should be fixed now! Thanks to Amy for letting me know it wasn't working!

All Jazzed Up

2009-05-05T23:28:00.005+01:00

I have spruced up my page a bit to try and get a better layout - what do you think?

I got a lovely new 3 column template courtesy of Blogger Buster (thanks Amanda) and there's now a cool link to Buckeye to show my training sessions too (thats providing I get them done and filled out!). I really like my label cloud too (that's the OCD list person bit of me showing through!).

One of my favourite thrifty sites at the moment is Freecycle and I managed to get hold of some back issues of Runners World on there so I'm now trawling through to make sure I'm doing the right kinds of sessions, eating the right foods and learning the lingo!

I'm off to learn the difference between fartleks and tempo's!

Call for Action

2009-04-30T22:17:00.003+01:00

Exactly one month has passed since my last funds check and the outlook isn't good. Admittedly, the time factor involved in raising additional funds beyond my actual salary is causing delays. I have spent a fair few late night internet hours trawling for inspiration on how to make a quick (legal) buck but the process of following each lead has been somewhat slower. So far I've found a few ways of making cash from clutter such as Music Magpie, Clothes Agency and then of course there's ebay, but it seems that in a time where every penny counts for us all, clutter isnt worth all that much.
With the summer hopefully arriving soon I'll be able to have a go at a good old fashioned car boot sale which might be a little more profitable. My house is certainly welcoming the decluttering process, even if it isnt yet making any money.
I could of course give in and politely ask my husband to cough up the funds from the joint account, but my stubborn nature always stops me. I want to feel that I've worked hard for this, that its been earned, appreciated and treasured as with anything that doesnt come easily. I suppose that also, quite selfishly, I want to have done this by myself, achieved it all on my own without help. That'll be my indpendant streak.
So, buried in amongst all that musing, is really a call for action. A call for myself to work harder, to stay strong and keep looking forward. Its also a call for everyone out there reading this to check out the list of things that you can do to help, on the right. There's still a rather lovely Tommy Hilfiger dress waiting to go to a good home....

Tuneful

2009-04-29T23:10:00.008+01:00

To get the body in tone, get the mind in tune. - Zachary T. Berkovitz (American physician and writer)

I found this quote whilst leafing through my latest online purchase, The Ultimate Pocket Positives. Its a fantastic little book full of inspirational quotes and I'm sure I'll be mentioning quotes from it fairly often on here. (Incidentally, 'purchase' is a somewhat loose term for the method by which I procured this handy book. I actually swapped it for a lesser book in my collection on a fab website called read it swap it. Any avid readers should definitely check it out, its very trendy in the current economic climate.)

Anyhow, back to my original point. My chosen quote for today really hit on how I'm feeling about getting in shape for the trek. I've been an on/off runner for a few years now and have taken part in one or two charity runs like Run for Life and Cancer Research UK 10k. Each time I've signed up, thrown myself into some training, completed the event and then let the running dwindle to nothing until the next sign up. My constant companion throughout it all has been my iPod. I cannot survive a run without it. That soundtrack in my ear really helps me to focus on putting one foot in front of the other even when it hurts and seems almost un-natural to carry on.

Music really influences my mood. An upbeat song can get me pounding the pavement full of confidence, but should the shuffle button find a slower, more melancholy song I instantly deflate. I think this can be applied to other areas of my life too. As a child I loved to sit for hours alone in my room with the stereo on doing nothing but staring at the ceiling thinking happy thoughts. Bring on a few sad songs and I was sinking into depression. For me, this quote is really quite literal - if the soundtrack in my mind is happy then I'm good to go.

This trek will be the biggest physical challenge I've ever attempted and I'm going to need all the mental strength I can get to carry it out. I'm going to have to get that soundtrack moved up a notch and make sure that shuffle button doesnt throw me too many low points. The iPod is on and the first track is the Lighthouse Family.... Goodbye Heartbreak. My favourite part is this;

Do you remember as a girl,
You had a picture of the world
And you'd think about the great things you would find ?
The thing is 9 to 5
And a struggle to survive
Ain't exactly what you had in mind
But that's the beauty of life,
It takes a while to find,
And you can't have things your own way all the time
Hey, you know you're gonna live
To find another day,
It's just today things ain't so good
Get yourself back again,
You've got so much love
That you can't afford to lose

Coincidence? I think not. :-D

Stepping up to the Challenge

2009-04-21T20:19:00.009+01:00

Obviously a major part of preparing for this trek is going to be physical training. I really want to be as fit as I possibly can be to get the most out of it. But I feel like I'm standing at the bottom of a huge mountain with no idea how I'll make it to the top - and thats before I even leave the country!
I look in the mirror and see something I dont recognise. Who is this lazy, unhealthy person? Where did the sprightly young thing with bags of energy and abundant smiles go? And how the hell do I get her to come back?!
In this world of fast paced technology everyone is looking for the next quick fix. How can we do everything better, faster and with less effort. Achieving a gorgeous athletic body is a quick fix most people would like to achieve, who wouldn't want the body of an adonis overnight? But we all know there aren't any quick fixes for that just yet.
But wait.... whats this I'm reading? A not so new concept that offers weight loss, increased confidence, youthful looks and fights back against stress, depression and anxiety? Improves cholesterol, blood pressure and promotes a healthy heart and lungs? Is it a new drug? A health food? An expensive type of surgery? NO!
It's even simpler than those things, it's opening your front door and putting one foot in front of the other. It's no spend required, no fancy equipment, just step outside and move. Feel the elements, take a deep breath and go! Bingo! Thats what I need to do -throw on some shoes and get cracking.
Hopefully, as the weeks go on I'll manage to get into some sort of regular training pattern, but for now I think the challenge is just to get moving in any way I can, as often as possible. Starting today.....I can hear the treadmill calling...I'll just wait for my dinner to go down a bit.....oh alright, I'm going!

Thought for the Day

2009-04-16T11:19:00.004+01:00

If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone. A man should keep his friendships in constant repair. - Samuel Johnson

Friendship is something that is really important to my personal journey doing this trek. I'd like to make it a priority to meet new people, make new connections and try to understand the world more through understanding more people. The more diverse a friendship group you have the more balanced a view you can have of people as whole.

Countdown

2009-04-13T23:05:00.002+01:00

I've added a snazzy countdown timer so that I can see exactly how long I've got to prepare for my trek. I like the idea that there really is a clock ticking down the time somewhere!

Not much to report elsewhere...no offers yet on my Tommy Hilfiger dress, must investigate other ways of raising my deposit, and also need to start thinking about some sort of training programme....busy, busy, busy!

Seeing things differently

2009-04-07T21:23:00.004+01:00

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” - Henry Miller

I've always been a big fan of the written word, I'm much more comfortable writing down my feelings and thoughts than saying them (although I've got better as I've got older). I really love inspiring or meaningful quotes, hence the link on the right hand side to Brave New Travellers list of 50 inspirational Travel Quotes. Its impressive how some people can manage to capture so much feeling in a few words, to describe things that are complicated yet simple, and to convey it in such a way as to inspire and delight anyone who hears it.

Henry Miller really captures a big part of what my trek is all about in his quote above. My physical journey is to a specific geographical place, but the psychological journey is much more than that. It is about grasping those things that are important, putting life into perspective, taking other views on board and achieving a sense of personal growth by helping others.

I want to take this opportunity to get past the trivialities of day to day life and think about more than just myself, more than just my immediate surroundings and focus on what I can do for a higher purpose. To see things from another perspective we must first change our position, and I am hoping that by taking part in this trek and the hard work that it will take to get there I will learn many lessons that will help me to see things differently. I am almost certain that one of my biggest lessons will be in how hard it is to fundraise significant amounts of money, and therefore give me some understanding of the difficulties all charities face reguarly in being able to continue their good work.

My aim with this blog is to try to record the psychological journey as well as the physical task. Perhaps, I too can inspire others somewhere along the way.

For Sale....

2009-04-06T21:35:00.003+01:00

The next step in raising my deposit... I have listed the only expensive item of clothing I own on a designer clothing website in the hope that someone will buy it.
If you'd like to have a look here's the link;

http://www.clothesagency.com/clothes.php?page=item&itemID=26408

Fingers crossed!

Inspiration

2009-04-02T22:26:00.003+01:00

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

I love this quote. It really sums up the passion and daring of doing something new, exciting and slightly scary. Its a quote that encourages me to continue with more motivation than ever, even though it may not be easy, even though others may not believe it possible.

More than anything, I am determined to achieve something significant and rewarding.

I am still undecided as to which charity this trip will be in support of. They all do such good work that I am struggling to choose one over the others. In my life, they have all been equally important, and I want to give back to them all in equal proportion.

Ooops!

2009-04-02T11:54:00.003+01:00

I've just realised that the TopCashBack link on the right wasnt working!
It's all fixed now though so feel free to have a look.

I am not alone...

2009-04-01T21:38:00.004+01:00

A friend of mine has kindly agreed to take up this challenge with me!
Luke is a good friend whom I met at sixth form -which seems only 5 mins ago but now I think about it must be more than 8 years ago!!
For his sins, he has kindly volunteered to join me and I'm sure it will be great for us both to have some support in the long journey to finally get us to China.
The Charity Challenge link on the right is the trip that we have picked and we are now both busy trying to squirrel away enough money for the deposit, which in the current climate is a little harder than it may sound! I for one, am challenging myself to raise the cash without affecting the household budget (afterall, it is my decision to go not my husband and sons!). So its car boot season here I come! My aim is to get it together within a couple of months to then allow maximum time to fundraise proper before the trip.
One of the creative ways I've found to make a little extra is by using something called TopCashBack which pays you for using their links to buy online. Anything I need to buy that I would usually get online is being put through there and hopefully over a couple of months the pennies will add up to pounds! They also pay money for referring friends so if anyone is interested in using the site for themselves you can sign up using the link on the right and contribute to the cause at the same time.
Thanks!

Why?

2009-03-31T19:55:00.014+01:00

I say, why not?!

It would be so easy to flop myself down on the sofa with the laptop and a cuppa, flick through a few travel sites and book myself a nice package holiday. I could kick back and relax and watch the days tick by until departure day, pack a few nice bikini's and head off for a fortnight of luxury. What fun! It certainly has its place in life.... my honeymoon for example. Total bliss, organised from end to end without me so much as calling a cab. But, where's the challenge in that? Where's the appreciation and satisfaction of working to your absolute mental and physical limits and achieving a goal that will benefit not just yourself but many others?

Thats where the idea of a charity event kicks in.... do something challenging, something unusual, something once in a lifetime.... and raise money for a worthwhile cause.

Which leads me to my next question...which charity?

Well, as I write there are several on the shortlist, its an extremely difficult decision to choose only one worthwhile cause. There are many charities close to my heart and I would like in my lifetime to be able to contribute in some way, to them all. For both my own benefit in the decision making process, and your's in understanding the decision, I shall give a short paragraph on each.

Cancer Research UK/Marie Curie Cancer Care - there are several people I have known or known of that have been touched by cancer in some way. The most significant being my father. He was diagnosed two years ago with bowel cancer, and although I had already taken part in charity events like Race for Life prior to this, I decided that I would make an extra special effort to contribute to these charities in the future.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/

http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/

Tommy's baby charity - most people reading this will know that I have a beautiful 4 year old son. Perhaps not so many of you will know that my pregnancy was quite complicated. Amongst other problems, I was diagnosed with pregnancy diabetes and later pre-eclampsia. Subsequently, I gave birth to my adorable boy a month early and it was certainly a worrying time. Tommy's is a charity dedicated to research into miscarriage and premature birth and I have found their website really helpful in understanding some of the conditions which occurred during my pregnancy.

http://www.tommys.org/

British Heart Foundation - Heart disease is a serious health problem and one that is on the increase. The British Heart Foundation provides information to those already living with heart disease as well as aiming to promote healthy living as a preventative measure. My father has also suffered from a major heart attack which has brought this sometimes hereditary condition firmly to my attention.

http://www.bhf.org.uk

And finally....

I believe that this life is about so much more than plodding along with the 9-5 rat race. We are here for a limited time and should make every moment count. I for one, would like to ensure that my time on earth is worthwhile and for the greater good, so that when I am old I can look back on my life and say I did my very best to help as many as I could, as much as I could. This is just one step.....

The first step...

2009-03-30T22:39:00.000+01:00

This is indeed the very first step on my journey....a long held goal of mine has been to trek the Great Wall of China for charity. This year I asked myself, 'What's stopping me?' The answer is NOTHING!!!

So here I am.

I decided to write to this blog as a way of letting everyone know what I'm up to. I'll write as often as I can and add any information as and when I get it.

At the moment I am at the planning stage... I've not even booked my place yet! The first task is to scrape together enough money for the deposit so that I can get it all booked. Then I can start fundraising and training in earnest.

There is a list of links on the right which I will add to as I go along but for now if you wish to see the trip information you can have a look at the charity challenge website. Fingers crossed I'll be heading off on the Oct 2010 trek.

Wish me luck!