Hi I'm Jules,

Its the holy month of Ramdan now; where, as Muslims, we unite in faith to show our devotion to our religion and God and partake in two of the 5 pillars of Islam - that being fasting and zakat (charity).

Its a time to, yes, abstain from food and water during the daylight hours; but it's much, much more. Its about having patience, being careful what we say and do and not intentionally or even unintentionally hurting others. We learn to form good habits to keep beyond Ramadan, we learn to be better Muslims and human beings; considerate, compassionate, charitable and generous, decent and above all demonstrate humility.

I feel many of us get consumed with our own existence sometimes and focus on looking at those who have more than us, which drives us, in turn, to want more and consume more. It's never ending even though, and to be honest; we know deep down that we have much more than we need. For me its so important to look at those who have less than us. CoVid, despite its crippling effects to life as we knew it, in some cases, was actually a blessing in some other ways. It showed us what is important - family, friends, health and above all; to be thankful for what we do have.

Empathy in all forms for all mankind is such an important trait in anyone and although I know I can do much much more; during Ramadan its so important for me to go that extra mile, or kilometer in my case ... see below!

The days sure are long without water. My day starts early by waking the family, making the morning meal, suhoor, for everyone, before the fasting day starts. All that before rushing to the mosque for morning Fajr prayers. Back home, a little sleep later, wake up to get the kids to school, and start a working day together with all the other daily chores and projects. Extra prayers, meditation and contemplation fill the day too until its time to break our fast, eat a little bit and pray the sunset Maghrib prayers. Its not long until its back to the mosque for the extra nighttime prayers, Tarawee, and then back home for around midnight, before it starts all over again.

Challenging enough ... you betcha BUT not enough for me. 

Last year I embarked on a personal challenge to run everyday, that was 30 x 5km runs for the entire month of Ramadan 2020 and also to see if it was possible to raise a little money for Orphans, a cause a hold dear to my heart. I didn't start raising funds until the end of the month though, as I didn't know if it was an achievable challenge. I did do it though; and raised £2,000 in a very short space of time.

Armed with conviction and an appetite to raise much much more - this year I'm determined to do it again and need your help to raise a much more challenging £10,000.

To be honest I want to properly smash this target and as Penny Appeal's slogan ... we can all make a big difference with small change.

I know my dear family and friends will be generous as ever but if word spreads to the thousands and everyone gives just a few pounds ... imagine the difference we can all make to hundreds of orphans?

Dig deep peops and spread my page please ... I only ask once a year and its not like its not for a good cause.

Thanks from the bottom of my heart in advance.

J. x

Im fundraising for Penny Appeals OrphanKind appeal because every child deserves the chance to have a childhood, and the opportunity to build a brighter future. Penny Appeal are caring for thousands of orphaned children, making sure they have nutritious meals, clothes, healthcare, an education and a dedicated guardian all in a loving and caring home.Im fundraising for Penny Appeals OrphanKind appeal because every child deserves the chance to have a childhood, and the opportunity to build a brighter future. Penny Appeal are caring for thousands of orphaned children, making sure they have nutritious meals, clothes, healthcare, an education and a dedicated guardian all in a loving and caring home.For just £15, you could support an orphan for a whole month.£100 could help Penny Appeal build a new Orphan Home for hundreds of the most vulnerable children in the world. It would mean so much to me if you would join me, and help these precious children get all the love and care