Tag: walking

Traci is clocking up kilometres!

Sarah’s blog 29/07/22

Traci is doing a brilliant job! She’s so committed to this challenge to help build Bright Futures Secondary School in rural Northern Malawi.

You can join in too… even if you are walking round the supermarket your kms will count. We would love children to join in and this could help with getting them out of the house for some fresh air! You can help us give the gift of education to vulnerable children who wouldn’t otherwise get to secondary school. Education is their way out of poverty.

You can read all about our challenge here with the details you need to join in and log your km. https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9

This is what Traci said last night. “Here’s my latest photos of knocking off more Kilometers for Changing Lives Malawi. I’ve now reached 351.21km in the first 28 days. I’m upping my pledge and now aiming to reach 700km by the end of August. https://gofund.me/dd3a1be3 “

Well done Traci! The more people who join in then the quicker the challenge will be finished!

To sponsor Traci as she’s doing a fantastic job please give a few £££ at https://gofund.me/dd3a1be3

Thanks for reading and supporting us to build Bright Futures Secondary School, Sarah x

Some of Traci’s latest walks… she’s now walked over 350km! Brilliant Traci! Well done!

Jackie’s very wet adventure

Sarah’s blog 25/7/22

Jackie is one of the people who has embraced our kilometre challenge and has been doing lots of cycling. She is also keeping a note of the totals for me.

Jackie and family have been helping to move a boat through the locks on the Crinan Canal. There are 15 locks along the canal to move the boats from one level to the next. Jackie had her bike with her and was running and cycling between the locks adding to her total kilometres.

If you want more info on the canal here is a link: https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/crinan/crinancanal/index.html

It is a beautiful place and I had said to Jackie last week that there would be lots of tourists watching them open and close the locks as the boat travelled through the different sections. There were no tourists! The rain could not have been any heavier and poor Jackie (and everyone else) got absolutely soaked. She is very brave for allowing me to post a photo of her looking a little bit wet and fed up! Well done Jackie and thank you for adding lots of kilometres to our total.

So I’m going to post a couple of photos to show you how beautiful the scenery is then Jackie’s photos and the route she was running/cycling back and forward!

The new totals are U.K. 1,250.285 kilometres, Malawi 320km = 1,570.285 kilometres which is 11.95% of our total.

To take part in our challenge to travel one of the routes the boxes of aid take from here, Balfron, to northern Malawi… over 13,000km click here https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9 and to donate to help us build a much needed school … Bright Futures Secondary School https://GoFund.me/44a92444

If you think Jackie has done a brilliant job this weekend then please donate a few £££. Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x

Internet photo – One of the locks on the canal on a sunny day
Another photo from the internet… this is what Jackie would have been doing but in the pouring rain!
Jackie’s bike and the boat they were helping to move through the 15 locks in the torrential rain
The Crinan Canal
Jackie covered quite a few kilometres running and cycling back and forward
A very wet and tired Jackie! Well done Jackie and thank you for sharing your kilometres with us!

Our website visitors

Sarah’s blog 24/7/22

Just a short post from me today as I’ve got an issue with my laptop that will hopefully be sorted by tomorrow. It’s times like this that I realise that technology isn’t my forte… but thank goodness for friends who can help.

Douglas & Lynda delivered another load of boxes to Dundee yesterday. Stuart & I spent a couple of hours yesterday packing boxes. The Bananabox Trust shed in Dundee will soon be full again and then they will book another container. It won’t be long until the current one arrives at it’s destination .

Hopefully, I’ll have an update on the kilometre challenge for you tomorrow with some photos too.

So I want to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ again to everyone who supports us. We really do appreciate you.

I love this photo from The Foundation Christmas Party where younger children were all given a rain jacket, a pencil and a lolly. Smiles like this are so good to see.

Our website is having visitors from all over the world which is brilliant! This week some of the countries from which people have viewed our website are; Thailand, Spain, U.K., USA, UAE, Canada, Israel, China, Netherlands, Malawi, Ireland, Peru, Zimbabwe, Libya, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Antigua and France.

You can keep up to date with the most recent news by signing up to receive my blog. Thanks for reading, Sarah x

Traci’s reached 200km

Sarah’s blog 18/7/22

Traci has just logged her second 100km… you are amazingly dedicated Traci, even in this hot weather! Very well done and thank you for supporting us.

Now we need people to show support for Traci’s effort to help raise funds to build a much needed school in rural Northern Malawi. Please read what Traci says:

“I’ve just logged my latest 101.64km for Changing Lives Malawi, walked over the last 8 days, bringing my total for the first 18 days of July to 229.21km – so I’m well on schedule to smashing my 500km by the end of August. I’d like to proudly boast that 4 of those km were done in high heels on Wednesday in Dundee! The rest were done locally in East Dunbartonshire in sensible walking shoes, but todays 11.5km were particularly challenging in Sahara-like conditions!
If you’d like to show your encouragement, and more importantly help build a school in Northern Malawi, please make a small donation at https://gofund.me/44a92444
It would also be great if you could support the cause by logging your own km – it can be a one-off walk, run, cycle, swim, row etc – we really need more people to get involved to reach the target of 13,144 km to Malawi. You can log your km at https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9
Thank you!”

Please donate here: https://gofund.me/44a92444

And to read more info and take part in the km challenge: https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9%20

Thanks for reading and supporting and thanks Traci for your dedication, Sarah x

Traci on her walks in sensible shoes and her lovely high heels that walked 4km!

More Kilometres!

Sarah’s blog 15/07/22

Some more kilometres to add to the total…. but we want more people to get involved! We know you aren’t lying in bed all day! Some of you will be tracking your fitness anyway….give us your kilometres please!

Paul, one of our trustees, is on holiday and we are very impressed that he has sent photos from the hotel gym….10km…well done Paul!

Douglas, a great supporter of ours and who helps take boxes to Dundee, has been out walking. Since the start of July he has walked 98.975km… thanks Douglas and that’s a great amount to add to our total.

Jackie is keeping the totals and we are now 8.74% of the way…only 166km to go until we get to 10%! UK 828.335km + Malawi 320km = 1,148.335km….well done everyone….great effort so far! here is the link for all the information and to get involved https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9

We need you all taking part in our 13,000km journey…following one of the routes the boxes take from here to The Foundation. £1 per km sponsorship money will really help us build this desperately needed school for some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi. To donate: https://gofund.me/ece5753a

The more people who take part, the quicker we will do this. The more people who share posts, the more people will see it. By sharing we can reach a new audience and more people can get involved and or donate to our challenge. That way we aren’t always relying on our same generous group of supporters. So, who is up for the challenge? https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9

Every child deserves an education. In fact it is every child’s right to have an education. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen for lots of children. Let’s make it happen for the children whom The Foundation supports. You can make a difference today. We can make a difference today. Let’s give the gift of education. Let’s give these vulnerable children a way out of extreme poverty. Let’s build a school! Let’s build Bright Futures Secondary School! I’m looking forward to seeing photos of your walk, gym visit or run. Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x

To donate: https://gofund.me/ece5753a to get involved: https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9

Paul clocked up 10km in the hotel gym…well done Paul!

Juliet is asking for a secondary school as there are currently not enough places for all students

More kilometres completed!

Sarah’s blog 13/7/22

As well as being good at cycling, Jackie is good at numbers so she is very kindly keeping a record of how many kilometres have been completed….however she does need people to record their km on our form https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9 or if you aren’t able to do that then please message me so we can make sure your kilometres are counted contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

We need more people to join us as there are over 13,000km to cover. We are aiming to cover the distance from Balfron where the boxes of aid start from to The Foundation. One of the routes the container takes is from Dundee where the container gets loaded at The Bananabox Trust, then Grangemouth Docks, Antwerp all the way to Beira in Mosambique and through Malawi to Chitipa District where The Foundation is. So any kilometres you can add will be gratefully received….and we will be grateful for any sponsorship money too so we can help build a desperately needed school. To donate here is the link: https://gofund.me/44a92444

Jackie tells me that (including the 320km the children in Malawi completed in their run) 934.42kms have been completed so far…which equates to 7.11% of the total required. It’s a great start but we need more of you to join our team. Whether you are walking your dog, walking round the shops, running after your children or going for a jog…. get a pedometer or track your kilometres on your phone…. you can help us by just doing what you do each day!

Paul is on holiday and has recorded a lovely 5km walk on the beach. Who else is on holiday and having a stroll? Or are you in the gym and can add your cycle or running machine efforts to our total? Looking forward to hearing from you. Today’s photos are of Paul’s beach walk and Jackie’s bike ride with her eldest son Ben. Very well done all three of you! Thanks to all who are continuing to help raise funds to build a school. We really do make a great team! Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x

https://gofund.me/44a92444 https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9

Ben and Jackie both cycled 23.51km

Paul’s late evening walk on the beach

Traci’s first 100km challenge

Sarah’s blog 11/7/22

Traci has walked over 100km already since the start of July. That’s an amazing achievement Traci, especially your 7km walk up and down that hill! Thank you so much for sending in your photos and for taking part in our kilometre challenge. I’m looking forward to seeing more photos from your next 100km!

We decided to try to do the virtual journey that the boxes we send travel to get to Malawi…over 13,000km… so we need more people joining in and logging your kilometres. Whether you are walking round the supermarket, going to the park with the kids, walking the dog or going on a cycle or run… every kilometre helps towards our total. We also need you to sponsor us please. If you think Traci is doing a great job then please donate a few £££. Ideally, we need to raise £1 for every kilometre of the 13,000 journey. What will you do today? Click on the links to donate and get involved wherever you are in the world. Thanks again Traci. Enjoy your next 100km! Thanks everyone for reading and supporting, Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9

“Over the first 10 days of July I’ve walked 118.57km for Changing Lives Malawi. I’ve walked various paths around Torrance, climbed the Campsies, done some of the Rob Roy Way and added some km on my treadmill. Can you spare a couple of pounds to spur me on to my full 500km pledge, and help build a school in Malawi? Go to https://gofund.me/dd3a1be3 ” Traci.

Traci & Jackie’s kilometres

Sarah’s blog 8/7/22

Traci and Jackie are two lovely ladies who are working hard collecting kilometres in different ways for us, and are doing brilliantly. Their kilometres, along with the 320 kilometres that the children in Malawi ran last weekend, are almost 5% of our total journey of just over 13,000km.

Traci is aiming to walk 500km over July and August. I think she should get a medal for walking 7km up and down this hill near where she lives. It’s a fantastic photo Traci…you really are on top of the world!

No photos yet of Jackie but we have evidence of two long bike rides she did last weekend. What an amazing effort Jackie…well done!

Now we need more people taking part and registering their kilometres…even if they are just walking the dog or on the golf course! Every little helps as the saying goes! We also need people to sponsor them. Ideally, what we need is £1 per kilometre…..that will bring in £13,000 to build the new school. Can you help?

We really are under pressure to build this desperately needed school as there are currently not enough places for young people in the nearest schools…if you don’t get picked for a place then you don’t go to secondary school. Education is a right for all children. Education is the way these young people will make a better life for themselves and their families. We cannot do this without your help. So please get involved with this challenge. We need folk to get involved, to share posts, to donate money….together we can build a school. Together we will build a school. It takes a team to make a difference. Can you be part of the team for the vulnerable children supported by The Foundation? Can you be part of the team to help build Bright Futures Secondary School? Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x

here is the link to get involved and for all the information you need for the challenge : https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9

here is the link to donate: https://gofund.me/44a92444

Brilliant! Traci is on top of the world! She is walking 100km per month as part of our challenge.

Two fantastic cycles from Jackie….very well done!

Fundraiser – get involved – let’s build a school

Sarah’s blog 30/6/22

I’m not very technically minded but, thankfully, I know a few people who are. Very soon, we will be launching a fundraiser where anyone who wants to be involved; wherever you are in the world, whatever your ability or age….you CAN make a difference.

We are going on a very long journey, and you can join us, by whatever means you want. The more people who join in then the more sponsor money there will be and the quicker we can complete this challenge. We need to build a secondary school as there aren’t enough places currently. We need to raise more money in order to do this. We need your help and they children are relying on your help and our help. So will you join us?

You can walk, run, cycle, hop, skip or jump or use your visit to the gym to log miles on the running machine, exercise bike or rowing machine. Kids can join in, families, individuals, friends. There can be a competitive element between friends or a whole club could see how far they got in a night by adding their miles together. Please, please join us. We can’t do it without your help.

ALL CHILDREN DESERVE AN EDUCATION WHEREVER THEY ARE IN THE WORLD. Can you help us by raising a few £££ sponsorship money or sponsoring us? Let’s do this. As a team we can build a school and continue Changing Lives Malawi. Get in touch to register your interest and watch this space for more information. Thanks for reading, Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

we need you to join our team
please help us raise funds for a school and have fun and set yourself a challenge!

The Kiltwalk 2022

Sarah’s blog 14/03/22

We are looking for volunteers to take part in the Kiltwalk to raise funds for Changing Lives Malawi. We cannot do what we do to help the orphans and other vulnerable children in rural northern Malawi without you. We value our supporters so much and we all part of a great team Changing Lives (in) Malawi.

We are always looking for different ways that people can support us and The Kiltwalk is a great way….you can choose your venue and date, you can choose the length of your walk and even choose who you walk with!! We are delighted that we are one of the charities registered with The Kiltwalk. In addition to any funds you raise for us, The Hunter Foundation will add 50% .

We would love individuals or a group of friends to do ‘The Mighty Stride’ (22.7 miles) or ‘The Big Stroll’ (14.37 miles) or could a few families with younger children get involved and raise funds for the orphans by doing ‘The Wee Wander’ (3 miles)? Remember there are various places to do The Kiltwalk as well as the virtual one in October. If you can’t be at one of the organised events then this might be the one for you!

We will advertise on social media that you are walking for Changing Lives Malawi to attract additional sponsorship and remember The Hunter Foundation will add 50% to your total raised. What’s not to love? here is the link to the Kiltwalk to sign up and remember you are looking for Changing Lives Malawi to sign up for. https://www.thekiltwalk.co.uk/events

contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com thanks for reading, Sarah x