UPDATE : Wed 14th June - just before I leave
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Thanks everyone so far - with the combination of my initial payment, your contributions, and a match of my contributions from The Royal Bank of Scotland I have exceeded my target sponsorship amount. I can't thank you all for your generosity, it's really blown me away.
If you would still like to help, and cover some of my donations, let me know via. darren at darrencraig.com and I'll let you know how. From Thursday 15th I'll be on my way to SIngapore, then Borneo from Sunday 18th. Watch http://www.wanderingscotsman.com for irregular updates!
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Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. I have chosen to spend mid June to mid Sept 06 in Borneo (yeh, where the British Army got lost in the rainforest!) to assist as volunteer staff with Raleigh International's youth development work documenting the expedition as their photographer, and helping out trek leading, and the other various roles such as community building projects. ALL money raised goes direct to the charity with a 28% uplift if you are a UK taxpayer. Flight costs, assessment weekend, photography and other kit etc. are all covered personally by myself...as will the total fundraising if I don't raise any.
Oh yeh, and I can't break the cardinal rule - NO DRINK FOR 3 MONTHS!! That's hard enough, never mind youth development work......
Money raised will help with Raleigh's multi cultural youth development work including youths from the host country, their UK based Motive8 programme for disadvantaged and socially excluded youths, and UK based 'venturers'. Everyone is treated the same with the aim of encouraging youth development with youths from around the world with diverse backgrounds. Staff and venturers are on the same playing field sharing food 'rations', equipment and everything else during a three month period. The development work is performed with three 3 week phases that the venturers rotate round :
Education : e.g. cutting paths through remote rainforest to allow more visitors and education (some of these areas have seen less than 150 people in them!), battling leeches and sleeping in the rainforest.
Adventure : e.g. Trekking including Mt Kinabalu at 4000m+ and diving marine surveys
Community : e.g building schools or nurseries for local communities
More information can be found at the following locations :
UK : http://www.raleighinternational.org/uk/
About Raleigh : http://www.raleighinternational.org/about.html
Previous Malaysia expedition work : http://www.raleighinternational.org/overseas/malaysia.html
Many thanks for your support. Trust me, it won't be a 'jolly'!!...imagine me acting as a facilitator and temporary 'parent' for 17-25 year olds!!?!!
Darren