What a great day!!! On Saturday, August 7th, Dave, Dad and I took on the London Triathlon Olympic distance relay. With a combined time of 2:56:58, it was a huge success, and an amazing experience to be part of such a massive event. Thank you so much to all who have dontated funds, and especially to those who donated their time to come down to the docks and cheer us on.

It's been a fabulous summer of swimming for me, with the triathlon swim as an excellent follow-up to the Great London Swim. But the most gratifying part is that by doing something I love, I'm also raising awareness and funds for such an important cause. Thank you for helping One to One Kids continue their excellent work.

 

A Little Reminder

Last summer, when I took part in the inaugural Great London Swim, many of you questioned my sanity. I'd like to give you cause to do so again...

This year, I'm going to be dunking myself in the Thames again... twice.

 

The Cause

It's to raise funds and awareness for a children's charity that I've been volunteering with for several years, supporting their programmes and helping to organise events.

One to One Children's Fund has working to improve the wellbeing of children affected by conflict, political upheaval, and disease since 1997. They have been running very successful children's programmes since 1997 in Trauma and Reconciliation in Kosovo and the Middle East, Education in the UK, India and South Africa, and HIV/AIDS across the whole of Africa through organising the Paediatric AIDS Treatment for Africa (PATA) conference.

The Charity’s goal is to create centres of excellence and models of best practice from which the Charity, and others, can learn, and replicate.

• - To improve the quality of children’s lives by working hand in hand with local communities and volunteers from these communities to create programmes that are driven and championed by local people.
• - To provide training and access to professional therapists and care workers who practise alongside community volunteers, pass on their skills and knowledge and ensure the most cost-effective investment of funds and resources.
• - To create centres of excellence and models of best practice from which others can learn and replicate.

 

“One to One Children’s Fund makes maximum use of the donations it receives to produce the greatest possible outcome. Those who give of their time or their money can rest assured that it goes to those for whom it was intended, and translates into real and tangible differences,” Terry Waite CBE

 

The Challenge

In addition to taking part in the Great London Swim again this year on July 3rd in a 1 mile open water race, I've also persuaded David Altschuler, the Co-founder and Chairman of One to One, and my Dad, Geoff Matus, to help my complete The London Triathlon Olymic distance relay on August 7th. I'll be swimming 1500m, Dad will be cycling 40km, and David will be finishing the race with a 10km run. 

 

It would be great if you could come along and support, and equally excellent if you could show your support by clicking on the link below.

Thanks!

Lauren

 

CHANGING THE WORLD, ONE CHILD AT A TIME

One to One Children’s Fund is a small charity, and to make a virtue of necessity, we always start small. We change some precious lives immediately, but the bigger prize is that we create a model that we and others can follow.

We are doing that in Africa with our Paediatric HIV programme, where we began by treating one child and the programmes that followed are now helping to save tens of thousands of children’s lives. In the Middle East, we are helping children caught up in conflict and violence, and creating a spirit of partnership between communities. In Kosovo, we have been providing counselling services to children and their families since the war ended in 1999. In India, South Africa and in the UK, we are also changing lives through education programmes.

The eventual results can be huge. And they always start with one child.

http://www.one2onekids.org/

 

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