Team AV message
Team AV is the Africa & Asia Venture Team. We are a motley group from Kenya, South Africa, Hong Kong and England ranging in age from 24 to 64 but determined to run the infamous Lewa half-marathon on 28 June 2008 aided by packs of blister plasters and walking sticks! Held at 5500 ft the Lewa Marathon is one of the great races of the world. Altitude, high temperatures, rough terrain and abundant wildlife will be just a few of the things we will be coping with besides painful muscles and severe sunburn!
We are running primarily to raise money for AV Foundation. The AV Foundation is the charity associated with Africa & Asia Venture (“AV”), the Gap Year and volunteering company established in 1994. Since its establishment, AV has sent over 4000 volunteers to different parts of Africa – Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa; Asia – Nepal, India and Thailand and also to Mexico. AV Volunteers have predominantly been involved in teaching placements and also deployed in community projects, building schools and assisting conservation programmes. The AV Foundation is a charity which channels donations into a number of the communities to which AV sends volunteers. It provides bursaries for very poor, orphaned, or single-parent children; provides materials for school building projects and water projects and also makes donations of computers, sports equipment and text books. The AV Foundation is still small – annual disbursements of just £25000 and we are determined to raise the profile and activities of the Charity.
Approximately half the monies raised will also be donated to Tusk Trust, the organisers of the Lewa Marathon / Half Marathon. The Tusk Trust supports community development and wildlife conservation programmes throughout Africa. (www.tusk.org)
We hope you agree that both are worthy charities that deserve your consideration and support. Lynette, Kaya, Grace, Jane, Gail, Lizzy, Nigel, Chris, and David would all be hugely grateful for your sponsorship. Donating to this site is simple, fast and secure. To make it easy, all the money will go initially to the AV Foundation. AV Foundation will then donate about 50% of the money raised to Tusk Trust. If you are a UK taxpayer an extra 28% in tax (Gift Aid) will be added to your gift at no cost to you!
We are aiming high – we hope to raise at least £10000 in total.
If you would prefer to donate by cheque then please make it out to "AV Foundation", write TEAMAV on the back, and post to Africa & Asia Venture, 10 Market Place, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1HT.
We will report back to you after the event. In the meantime, very many thanks for your support.
TEAM AV