Supporter stories

‘Philleas Jogg’ – also known as star supporter Adam Chataway – is set to take on an amazing challenge for ActionAid this autumn.

He is set to run six marathons in six continents in 30 days, raising some of his £50,000 target for education projects in Lera Town, Ethiopia – part of the work of Vicky’s Water Project (VWP).

Established in memory of Adam’s fiancée Victoria Buchanan, VWP has already raised in excess of £600,000, bringing clean water to 20,000 people in and around Lera Town, and building new classrooms at local schools.

“As I was fortunate enough to get a few weeks off work... I felt compelled and inspired to make this time count and concoct my own once-in-a-lifetime-challenge for a fantastic cause,” says Adam.

“I’m apprehensive, but know it will be a great adventure that I’m very lucky to be able to embark on. And if Eddie Izzard can run around the UK on no training and Mars bars, how difficult can six marathons and global circumnavigation be?”

Watch this space for more news about Adam's trip!

Show Adam your support at www.justgiving.com/phileasjogg

Pennies from Heaven is a clever scheme that has been fundraising for ActionAid in a unique way.

Its UK’s largest micro giving scheme for employees and pensioners, and gives people the chance to round up their salary by just 99p making a huge difference to ActionAid! Individuals sign up once and from then on every salary is rounded down to the nearest pound - with the pennies donated to charity. So if your net pay was £850.34 then 34p would be donated.

The most you can ever give is 99p every time you are paid. All donations are eligible for gift aid meaning the taxman will add 25% at no cost to the donor or employer. GREAT! Its only pennies – is it worth it?

YES! Little pennies soon make pounds, which is how the scheme has raised over £100,000 for us!

 How can I get more information?

• See the PFH website:  www.penniesfromheaven.co.uk
• Call the scheme directly: Anthony Law or Kate Frost on 01485 210698 or email them at a.law@penniesfromheaven.co.uk / kate@penniesfromheaven.co.uk

   

At 21, Mollie Hughes became one of the youngest women ever to conquer Everest.

And she raised over £3,000 for ActionAid in the process. “ActionAid is an amazing charity, who fight the causes and effects of poverty all over the world,” said Mollie.

Mollie’s mountaineering passion started with an expedition to Mount Kenya aged 17. Since then she’s climbed in the Himalayas, the Andes and east Africa.

But taking on the world’s highest mountain was a major challenge. She had to spend almost two months on the mountain acclimatising as much as possible to the extreme altitude and the reduced levels of oxygen. Well done Mollie!

You can still support Mollie at www.myactionaid.org.uk/ mounteverest2012

In May, the fifth ‘Mission Malawi’ cycling challenge took place.

The challenge, to cycle 400-500km around Malawi, has so far raised over £400,000 for ActionAid.

Mission Malawi raises money for HIV/Aids projects run by ActionAid in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Les Pratt, a radio producer from Manchester, started the challenge in 2003, after seeing a news report on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the region.

Although the trip was only supposed to be a one-off, Les says that, during the trip, “We fell in love with the beauty of Malawi and its people. When we came back to the UK, we knew that it would be worth doing again.”

The trips involve intensely demanding cycle rides and visits to ActionAid projects across the country, where participants witness the work that ActionAid is doing to combat HIV/AIDS and the stigma around it.

Malawi is particularly hard hit by the Aids crisis. Almost 15% of the population is HIV+, and this is disproportionately skewed to young people.

There are over 91,000 children infected by the virus, and over half a million have been orphaned by the pandemic. Furthermore, 60% of those infected are women and girls.

Les has dedicated much of his spare time in the past ten years to the challenge. However, he has decided to take a break from selling jam, Christmas cards and calendars and take a step back from the organisation of the event.

He says he will return to Mission Malawi but as a punter, not as the boss.  In his own words:“I have grown so attached to the nation and its people. The people of Malawi are incredible. They live in one of the poorest nations, yet they are the some of the happiest people that I have met”

“It is the best feeling to know that, as your peddling up a steep hill, in the heat – when your thighs are about to explode and your hands are about to drop off – knowing that people in that country are worse off than you are and that you are helping them. That is the most amazing feeling”