[PLEASE NOTE: if you donate anonymously I do not see your name so cannot thank you personally. Be assured I am very grateful for your donation!]

Link Ethiopia and I Thankyou for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page!

There are tons of pages for marathon runners so why donate to this one? The fundamental, number one reason is that Link Ethiopia is an absolutely superb charity making a massive difference to the lives of some of the neediest people in the World. I have seen first hand and can personally guarantee that the charity is incredibly well run by talented boys and girls and that every penny donated goes directly into the country. The projects are managed locally in Ethiopia to ensure that the work has maximum impact. I first went to Ethiopia in 1997 and it was amazing to see the progress made in the schools I visited through projects funded and run by Link Ethiopia between then and my last visit (2008). Education is the most important strand of the work of Link but there are also projects to aid the wider community and to encourage cultural exchanges between this fascinating country and the outside world.

That's my view - here's some official blurb from the horse's mouth!

Link Ethiopia works with some of the poorest communities in Ethiopia to improve education for children. We believe education is the key to empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty and that partnership is the best way to achieve this.

We work with severely under resourced schools, where classrooms are often temporary shelters constructed from branches, there are no toilets, safe drinking water or text books and children often sit on the floor to learn. Through partnership with school communities, we help transform education for thousands of children by providing vital infrastructure such as classrooms, toilets, libraries, and computer rooms.

Now, in 2010, our work to improve education reaches over 60,000 children in Ethiopia. The money we raise here will enable many more disadvantaged children to escape the cycle of poverty through access to better education.

That's the charity. How about me? I am definitely not a runner so this is going to be a massive challenge, one that I would only be stupid enough to undertake for such a good cause! Please, please, please sponsor generously - not for me, but for where your money will end up and the difference it will make.

Website's blurb:

"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."

And no, before anyone asks just getting around is enough, I'm not trying to emulate the times or style of Ethiopia's finest, Haile Gebreselassie!