Hello Everyone!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.  You have several options now:

1) Carry on reading (then donate);

2) Don't bother reading or donating (not suggested!); or

3) In the words of Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, just go ahead and show me the moneeeeeey!!!

    (Well, actually, it's all going to Barnabus, not to me)

 

I have now completed the Manchester 10k (my first ever run!) on Sunday 16 May 2010.  However, as you can see your donations are still welcome....

So let me tell you a little about my chosen charity, Barnabus, the reasons for my choice and why you should sponsor me! (Please...with big puppy dog eyes!).  Alternatively, please click on to Barnabus' website and take a peek at what it does:

                                                      http://www.barnabus-manchester.org.uk/

I will be running on behalf of Barnabus, which is a Christian-based charity providing Care, Support and Dignity to Manchester's homeless for the past 20 years. 

I volunteer for Barnabus on a weekly basis in its 3-night a week drop in centre/soup kitchen, "The Beacon", in Manchester city centre.  The team at Barnabus do some amazing work, providing food, drink and any clothes, blankets, toiletries etc that have been donated; Barnabus also houses a medic suite and provides medical attention to any one in need.  Along with this service, Barnabus provides daily arts & educational based workshops; Street outreach; prison outreach; outreach in the red-light district and street soccer.  Barnabus has few paid staff and relies on volunteered support staff throughout the week.

Manchester City Council's recent reports show statistics of there being only 8 rough sleepers on the streets of Manchester.  Barnabus currently sees around 300 visits per week from mainly rough sleepers!  In February alone Barnabus gave out 250 blankets to our needy friends, and provided over 1,200 hot meals and sandwiches at our drop-in centre.  Due to the continued growth in people relying and requiring help from Barnabus, it requires continued and further financing in order to maintain and progress the support it already provides. 
 
I love volunteering at Barnabus; I enjoy being part of a team that has passion for helping those less fortunate and vision to expand its abilities to continue to help our existing friends and any more that require our support.  For these reasons, I hope that you consider Barnabus a worthy cause and should be grateful if you would please sponsor me!

Your money will be used to allow others the luxuries in life which we all take for granted...

* £50 will allow Barnabus to feed 100 people for one night with sandwiches and a hot drink

* £100 will allow us to offer 60 people a day a hot shower and the use of our washing machine

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted e-mails.  Once you donate they'll send the 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 effective way to donate - I raise more whilst saving time and cutting costs for Barnabus.

So please dig deep and donate now! Or...if you would prefer to donate in another way, please see Barnabus' website for further details.

 

Many, many thanks!

Sarah x