Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I have decided to try and give something back to more deserving souls, what other reason can I give for the madness, in donning water wings and attempting to swim 2 miles in freezing cold water !!

I am therefore attempting to swim 3 Km in Dorney Lake on Saturday the 28th May. I would be grateful if you would be kind enough to sponsor me.

I was fortunate enough to spend three fantastic years living and studying in the North East whist I was at University at Durham. The geography was stunning and the people warm hearted and generous and they helped contribute enormously to make my stay there memorable. 

The North east , and Wearside in particulair has suffered tremendous hardship as its traditional industrial and manufacturing base declined . The rise in unemployment levels and associated increase in both youth and adult illiteracy rates has meant that there is a viscous circle of declining aspirations and opportunites as  the job openings that are available demand higher and higher educational achievements.

With this in mind I am hoping to raise money for The Sunderland Association Football Club Foundation (SAFC Foundation). The SAFC Foundation uses the power of football to inspire learning, achievement and personal development in some of the most disadvantaged communities in England. Working with more than 40,000 children and their families last year, the organisation runs pioneering education, inclusion and sports programmes with children as young as two years old.

The organisation has improved communities by helping to lower Youth Anti-Social Behaviour by up to 80% in some areas, providing young people with guidance and opportunities to participate in positive activities and improve their chances of having a real future.

Family Learning programmes work with more than 1,100 families every year getting parents, and especially fathers, involved in their children’s education improving relationships within the family and raising the confidence and aspirations of both adult and child.

Education programmes cater to the needs of the community by running programmes that help bring subjects to life and motivate learning, raise awareness of important life issues such as drug awareness and bullying, and in some cases even work with youngsters excluded from school to provide them with an alternative education with a view to them returning to mainstream education.

Sports programmes engaged more than 23,000 young people last year through a variety of initiatives including a comprehensive disability sports programme which works in schools and in evening and weekend sessions with children with severe physical and mental disabilities in some cases.

This is just a small sample of how SAFC Foundation works to change lives for the better, more information can be found at www.safcfoundation.com .

SAFC Foundation relies on fundraising to be able to operate and by sponsoring this person you will help people living in some of the most deprived areas of the country improve their lives and the community around them.

Thank you.

 

 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.