Amanda and Stella trek for 5 days in Iceland to raise money for charity.
That's why Mums go to Iceland...
The Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign
The charity supports the work of the Royal Marsden Hospital, raising money to help it stay at the leading edge of cancer treatment, research and care. Cancer touches so many people in so many different ways and we have both recently experienced the work of the Marsden through a friend and colleague, Ross Humphreys who, at the age of just 26, sadly lost his battle against leukemia on 22nd October 2009. Throughout his illness, Ross fought with courage and strengh, and kept his friends and family laughing with his unique humour. One of Ross's final wishes (other than his ashes being scattered in a Mulberry store!) was for his family and friends to raise as much money as possible for the Marsden having spent many days there during his illness. The money we raise will help with their Critical Care Unit and Children's and Teeneage Cancer Centre along with equipment for the ward Ross spent so much time on.
Rocking Horse
The Charity that makes life better for sick children in Sussex, was set up in 1968 and is best known for its work with the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton. The charity was provided with over £1m of specialist equipment, toys, games and much more, but specialist medical equipment is needed in the Trevor Mann baby unit and our fundraising will help considerably towards that goal. In August 2008 Stella's daughter had 1st hand experience of the facilities and expertise of the staff at the Alex. Following an unknown infection which meant 8 days in Worthing Hospital she was transferred to the Alex and operated on within a couple of hours of arriving. Four days later we were able to leave the Alex and Daisy made a full recovery.
The Tony Barnard Foundation...
...of which Amanda is a patron, was set up as a fund raising company in 2008 by frinds of Amanda, Jenny and Mark Barnard, in memory of Mark's father Tony, who had lived for more than 20 years with the consequences of a debilitating brain trauma. The foundation aims to benefit adults and children with learning difficulties in Sussex, enabling them to be more independent and have the opportunity to participate in the community in which they live. None of the money raised will be used to employ people - every penny given will go towards helping individuals, groups and families to enhance their quality of life. As the foundation has not yet received charitable status, we are unable to officially fundraise for them. Therefore, for every £1 raised for the Marsden and The Alex, Amanda will personally give 25p to the foundation which will help them achieve the annual income required of £5K to become a registered charity in the UK.
...so, how are we going to raise the much needed funds...?
On the 21st July Amanda Munday and Stella Buckingham are embarking on a 5 day trek in Iceland and are organising a number of fund raising events before leaving.
Those of you who know us well will already be questioning our decision and rightly so! As you can imagine, the trek isn't going to be a walk in the park...not least because Amanda had a hip replacement in 2009 and Stella has a heart murmur (along with an aversion to heights!) Having read the itinery, we can safely inform you that we trek for up to 9 hours a day across rough and steep terrain, lava fields, snow and ice, climbing down ropes to reach footbridges and wading through freezing cold streams! We camp every night and hope to sleep through the midnight sun which offers only 2-3 hours of twilight a night. Those of you who know Amanda may know that she has difficulty sleeping in a six foot pocket sprung bed, never mind under canvas on hard, stony ground. If that was not enough, on one of the days we pass the lower slopes of Hekla, Icelands most famous volcano which erupts about every ten years - yes, it last erupted in 2000!
Oh, and there's the small point of us each leaving a daughter at home who have not been without their mummy for more than one night in the past. We are not sure who will be more traumatised by this though! However, we do both have a keen desire to raise as much money as possible for these charities and we really hope you will be able to support us, one way or another.
...So, how can you help us raise the £3000 target we have set ourselves...?
You can sponsor us with whatever you can afford by via the websites links at the top of the page.
If you are a business and are thinking of supporting a charity this year, please consider making the Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign and The Royal Alexandra Chrildrens Hospital the ones you choose.
WE ARE SELF FUNDING OUR TRIP, SO EVERY PENNY RAISED WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE CHARITIES.
Contact Amanda.
Contact Stella.