Well, that's it then! Not only is the marathon successfully completed, but the quite astonishing and unexpected generosity of so many people has brought my fundraising total to £3000. I would like to list you all - but there have been so many - and even some who I don't know at all! So, for all of you, this message is my "thank you". I know the staff and volunteers of CCS, as well as those who benefit from their services, would like to add their thanks to mine. If you've been following my blog, or know about CCS from some other source, you will be in no doubt of the value of their work. I'm glad to have been able to contribute to it, thanks to all your donations.
It's a poignant experience writing this message, feeling satisfaction and achievement at the success of the project, but a little bit of sadness to see it end. Considering that I'm going through the same sort of transition in another sphere of my life, having finished the final assessments for my theology degree last week, it's an emotionally charged time! But perhaps what I want to attend to and nurture is the sense of hope I'm aware of somewhere quite deep in me. Every end is a beginning, so here's to what's coming next!
Thursday, 22 May 2014
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
The Big Day - in Pictures!
Well, the title is a bit of an exaggeration. It should actually say: "after the finish line - in pictures", because that's what I've got! But they should at least be adequate to prove I really did complete the marathon, complete with sunburn!
Proudly with my medal!
The T shirt in the goody bag
With one of the other CCS runners and Rosemary Keenan, CEO of CCS
And with Megan from CCS, who made it all happen!
A final note: I've now raised £2,745. That's not very far off £3,000, is it? Maybe it could reach that nice round number?? Anyone feel like rewarding my marathon effort by helping me achieve that final dream? It's just a thought...
Monday, 14 April 2014
04:07:28
Am I happy with how the marathon went? No! I'm thoroughly chuffed! All the training must have been worth it, as I shaved 10 minutes off my personal best, and finished 35 minutes quicker than when I ran London 5 years ago. So, here's how the day went:
Sunshine! Well, Saturday's weather would have been much more congenial for running, but it did make London look beautiful. Of course, applying some sun tan lotion might have been a good idea, but it wasn't one that occurred to me... I also allowed rather less time to get to the start than might have been ideal, so it was a bit of a rush getting my baggage onto the appropriate lorry and waiting in the exceedingly long queues for the portaloos. But I made it to the start with 5 minutes to spare; long enough to re-tie my laces another 3 or 4 times!
The hooter sounded, and, as expected, we went nowhere. 35,000 runners is an awful lot, even distributed between 3 different starts. I finally got through at 10:12. That was fine since, thanks to the clever chip system, your time only starts when you actually cross the start line. Of course, the crowds of runners don't disappear at that moment. Indeed, people going my sort of pace find themselves in a pack all the way round. It certainly doesn't make running easy, as you try to judge the speed each person is going, consider the need to overtake and assess the safety of doing so, attempting to avoid at least major collisions, if not the occasional clashing of elbows.
Spectators are there in even greater numbers, most cheering, some distributing jelly babies or orange segments, some with inexpertly painted boards declaring "touch here for power"! And then there are the volunteers, uncountable, offering bottles of water and lucozade, vaseline, or medical attention. What brilliant people. But probably my main attention was on the runners. It was astonishing and heartening to see the number of different charities being supported, and very moving to read the little personal messages on people's vests, usually along the lines of "Running for Mum", or "James: missing you". There is a great sense of shared endeavour, as if the air has become impregnated with the hours and months of effort each person has put in to get to the big day.
The sense of achievement just beyond the finish line is similarly palpable. Yet more volunteers manage to retain sincerity in their congratulations as they attend to a constant stream of runners, clipping off the timing chip from your trainer, putting a medal around your neck, giving you the famous goody bag, or returning your baggage. Well-organised doesn't even begin to describe it.
I had even more personal attention from Catholic Children's Society, waiting a short distance away (where the crowds were at least slightly thinner) to listen to the exploits of the four people running for them this year and to take photos. I hope to be able to share a picture with you before too long. Meanwhile, I can report that my total is up to £2,725, and remind you that my fundraising page is still open, if anyone feels like adding to that!
Sunshine! Well, Saturday's weather would have been much more congenial for running, but it did make London look beautiful. Of course, applying some sun tan lotion might have been a good idea, but it wasn't one that occurred to me... I also allowed rather less time to get to the start than might have been ideal, so it was a bit of a rush getting my baggage onto the appropriate lorry and waiting in the exceedingly long queues for the portaloos. But I made it to the start with 5 minutes to spare; long enough to re-tie my laces another 3 or 4 times!
The hooter sounded, and, as expected, we went nowhere. 35,000 runners is an awful lot, even distributed between 3 different starts. I finally got through at 10:12. That was fine since, thanks to the clever chip system, your time only starts when you actually cross the start line. Of course, the crowds of runners don't disappear at that moment. Indeed, people going my sort of pace find themselves in a pack all the way round. It certainly doesn't make running easy, as you try to judge the speed each person is going, consider the need to overtake and assess the safety of doing so, attempting to avoid at least major collisions, if not the occasional clashing of elbows.
Spectators are there in even greater numbers, most cheering, some distributing jelly babies or orange segments, some with inexpertly painted boards declaring "touch here for power"! And then there are the volunteers, uncountable, offering bottles of water and lucozade, vaseline, or medical attention. What brilliant people. But probably my main attention was on the runners. It was astonishing and heartening to see the number of different charities being supported, and very moving to read the little personal messages on people's vests, usually along the lines of "Running for Mum", or "James: missing you". There is a great sense of shared endeavour, as if the air has become impregnated with the hours and months of effort each person has put in to get to the big day.
The sense of achievement just beyond the finish line is similarly palpable. Yet more volunteers manage to retain sincerity in their congratulations as they attend to a constant stream of runners, clipping off the timing chip from your trainer, putting a medal around your neck, giving you the famous goody bag, or returning your baggage. Well-organised doesn't even begin to describe it.
I had even more personal attention from Catholic Children's Society, waiting a short distance away (where the crowds were at least slightly thinner) to listen to the exploits of the four people running for them this year and to take photos. I hope to be able to share a picture with you before too long. Meanwhile, I can report that my total is up to £2,725, and remind you that my fundraising page is still open, if anyone feels like adding to that!
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Focus on... Mental Health Services
With just a week until the marathon I was tempted to write again about that countdown. But there really is very little to add to last week's post, other than the continued rise of my fundraising total! It's reached over £2,500 now, which has exceeded all my expectations. Thank you so much!
Instead I thought it would be good to share with you some more about where the money is going. A few weeks ago I chose the family centres as probably my favourite part of the work of CCS. The early intervention mental health services have to come a close second.
Modern society doesn't make it easy to grow up. There are so many challenges, so many pressures. Children being brought up in situations of deprivation suffer disproportionately from stresses like family breakdown, bereavement and domestic abuse. If left untreated, the mental health difficulties which can result, such as depression, anxiety and self-harm, risk blighting individuals throughout their adult life. Difficulty expressing feelings in an acceptable way can lead to challenging behaviour which, if managed inappropriately, can lead to school failure. Again, this has long-term consequences, as lower educational achievement translates into lower earning potential.
The good news is that early intervention can transform this situation. CCS has a team of mental health professionals who work in school settings and in a dedicated centre to help children and families struggling with these kinds of difficulties. They use special, child-friendly techniques such as play, drama and art therapies to explore problems in a non-threatening way. Over 90% of those who access these services show a marked improvement in their emotional well-being.
For me this is a win-win approach. By tackling difficulties early, the long-term impact is drastically reduced. The children grow in self-esteem and personal fulfilment, enabling them to become constructive members of society who contribute to the development of their communities. This helps to break the cycle of poverty for future generations as well as helping individuals and families here and now. So I'm sure you'll agree with me that this project really is worth supporting!
Instead I thought it would be good to share with you some more about where the money is going. A few weeks ago I chose the family centres as probably my favourite part of the work of CCS. The early intervention mental health services have to come a close second.
Modern society doesn't make it easy to grow up. There are so many challenges, so many pressures. Children being brought up in situations of deprivation suffer disproportionately from stresses like family breakdown, bereavement and domestic abuse. If left untreated, the mental health difficulties which can result, such as depression, anxiety and self-harm, risk blighting individuals throughout their adult life. Difficulty expressing feelings in an acceptable way can lead to challenging behaviour which, if managed inappropriately, can lead to school failure. Again, this has long-term consequences, as lower educational achievement translates into lower earning potential.
The good news is that early intervention can transform this situation. CCS has a team of mental health professionals who work in school settings and in a dedicated centre to help children and families struggling with these kinds of difficulties. They use special, child-friendly techniques such as play, drama and art therapies to explore problems in a non-threatening way. Over 90% of those who access these services show a marked improvement in their emotional well-being.
For me this is a win-win approach. By tackling difficulties early, the long-term impact is drastically reduced. The children grow in self-esteem and personal fulfilment, enabling them to become constructive members of society who contribute to the development of their communities. This helps to break the cycle of poverty for future generations as well as helping individuals and families here and now. So I'm sure you'll agree with me that this project really is worth supporting!
Monday, 31 March 2014
The Final Fortnight!
On a Monday morning a nice dramatic title seemed appropriate. Well, it's true that in two weeks' time the marathon will have been run, and Catholic Children's Society will have benefitted from my running of it to the tune of over £2200! I have been taken aback by the generosity of so many people who have helped me to achieve my aims. Lots of individual stories are in my mind, of unexpected donations, genuine interest in the work of CCS and what I'm doing towards it, supportive messages, and so many other positive responses to this project. But I don't want to single out anybody, because at a basic level nobody's contribution is more special than anybody else's. They are all uniquely special!
So, what is there left to do now? Maybe, not too much. Runners among you will know about "the taper". To avoid arriving at race day exhausted and with aching muscles, in the weeks just before, training is gradually reduced. It's a good strategy, I think. It does feel strange, though, knowing that the next long run will be the real thing! That will probably sink in a bit more next week, when every participant has to go to the ExCeL Centre to register. This is the moment of collecting one's running number - precious, since irreplaceable if lost or forgotten on the day! The London Marathon is certainly a logistical exercise. Every runner is also issued with a kitbag for their possessions, put on a lorry just before the race and miraculously awaiting collection 26.2 miles later. It's the moment everybody is straining towards, yet it also signals "the end". And so there will be a certain sadness at the loss of something which has been a driving force for a good six months.
Yet there will be joy, too, of course. The joy of achieving a personal challenge. The joy of knowing how many people have enabled that to happen. Most especially, the joy of having contributed to empowering the lives of local people in difficult situations. I'm glad to be able to share that joy with you.
So, what is there left to do now? Maybe, not too much. Runners among you will know about "the taper". To avoid arriving at race day exhausted and with aching muscles, in the weeks just before, training is gradually reduced. It's a good strategy, I think. It does feel strange, though, knowing that the next long run will be the real thing! That will probably sink in a bit more next week, when every participant has to go to the ExCeL Centre to register. This is the moment of collecting one's running number - precious, since irreplaceable if lost or forgotten on the day! The London Marathon is certainly a logistical exercise. Every runner is also issued with a kitbag for their possessions, put on a lorry just before the race and miraculously awaiting collection 26.2 miles later. It's the moment everybody is straining towards, yet it also signals "the end". And so there will be a certain sadness at the loss of something which has been a driving force for a good six months.
Yet there will be joy, too, of course. The joy of achieving a personal challenge. The joy of knowing how many people have enabled that to happen. Most especially, the joy of having contributed to empowering the lives of local people in difficult situations. I'm glad to be able to share that joy with you.
Monday, 24 March 2014
Focus on... Family Centres
Perhaps my favourite part of CCS's work is their family centres, so I thought I would write a bit about them today.
St Francis' Family Centre was established in Tower Hamlets, England's worst area for child poverty, in 1986. It offers a number of services which empower parents to be pro-active in their children's development. The nursery helps children to be better prepared to benefit from school when they start reception class. Parents are encouraged to stay with their children so that they can learn how to help their development in the home environment. The after school club provides stimulating activities for 5-8 year olds. The toy library is a great way of giving children access to a more varied range of activities in their own homes. Talks and workshops enable parents to develop the skills they need to help their children meet their full potential. A fund for holidays and trips gives some families their only opportunity to experience a different environment from inner London. This is a real family-centred approach which can provide what is needed to escape from the poverty trap. St Francis will be moving to larger, better-equipped premises before too long. This will make it possible to provide support to even more families.
St Mark's Stay and Play is based in North Kensington, an area which contrasts starkly to the affluence of other parts of the Borough. The Centre provides a toddler group where children can play inside and out with masses of lovely toys and equipment. This environment is perfect for parents suffering from isolation and poverty; they have the chance to socialise with other people in similar circumstances and to grow in confidence and self-esteem. They can talk in confidence with staff, who offer support and guidance. This is a really safe and welcoming place, where parents can find new hope and children can make friends and learn new skills.
I hope you are as inspired by these projects as I am! What I love is their inclusivity and their emphasis on empowerment. Everybody accessing these services is respected as an individual with their own particular capacities and struggles. They are not patronised, but enabled to turn their hopes for their life into reality.
St Francis' Family Centre was established in Tower Hamlets, England's worst area for child poverty, in 1986. It offers a number of services which empower parents to be pro-active in their children's development. The nursery helps children to be better prepared to benefit from school when they start reception class. Parents are encouraged to stay with their children so that they can learn how to help their development in the home environment. The after school club provides stimulating activities for 5-8 year olds. The toy library is a great way of giving children access to a more varied range of activities in their own homes. Talks and workshops enable parents to develop the skills they need to help their children meet their full potential. A fund for holidays and trips gives some families their only opportunity to experience a different environment from inner London. This is a real family-centred approach which can provide what is needed to escape from the poverty trap. St Francis will be moving to larger, better-equipped premises before too long. This will make it possible to provide support to even more families.
St Mark's Stay and Play is based in North Kensington, an area which contrasts starkly to the affluence of other parts of the Borough. The Centre provides a toddler group where children can play inside and out with masses of lovely toys and equipment. This environment is perfect for parents suffering from isolation and poverty; they have the chance to socialise with other people in similar circumstances and to grow in confidence and self-esteem. They can talk in confidence with staff, who offer support and guidance. This is a really safe and welcoming place, where parents can find new hope and children can make friends and learn new skills.
I hope you are as inspired by these projects as I am! What I love is their inclusivity and their emphasis on empowerment. Everybody accessing these services is respected as an individual with their own particular capacities and struggles. They are not patronised, but enabled to turn their hopes for their life into reality.
Friday, 14 March 2014
The final countdown...
Well, this is it, then. In a month, it will all be over. As so frequently, I would like to be able to make time slow down! Partly, of course, this is because it would be good to be better prepared: nearer my fundraising target and fitter. But also, I realise that this project has been fun! It's been a good challenge: demanding and hard work, but rewarding, too. It's given me the chance to talk with people (i.e., you) about a charity whose work makes a difference in my local area. I've needed to dedicate time to it, to make choices which haven't focussed just on my own desires and wishes. It has stimulated me to think about how best to achieve worthwhile goals. The running has made me conscious of my physical - and psychological - capacities and limitations. So I would definitely recommend such a project, even if it's not to be undertaken lightly.
Physically, I realise one cannot ignore one's age... OK, I don't think I've got one foot in the grave. But it has certainly been tougher than I expected trying to increase my fitness levels, and I'm far from satisfied with the results! It's frustrating, wanting to be able to run faster, further, and instead moving seamlessly from a painful leg to stomach cramps to back ache, or some other equally limiting trajectory. I've been doing some fairly long runs on recent Sundays, and it's fascinating observing myself. I set out, with a degree of trepidation. I find I can indeed still run, and bounce along energetically enjoying myself. Time passes, and I realise I have failed to conserve my energy for the distance I am attempting. I slow down. Things start to hurt. Bounce disappears and I risk injury as I plod onward. I think about getting back. I'm still more than an hour from home. I think I will never get there. I keep going anyway, my movements losing fluidity with every step. I arrive. I feel great. The aim for the next month is to learn to pace myself so that I might still be running at the end rather than barely raising my feet from the ground!
The donation from Caterplus has certainly made things look more healthy on the fundraising front; the total now stands at £1,325.88. That makes it sound a bit more believable that I might reach £2000 by the big day. On the other hand, the pool of friends yet to make a donation is, of course, shrinking as the total rises. Please help me spread the word further afield if you can!
Physically, I realise one cannot ignore one's age... OK, I don't think I've got one foot in the grave. But it has certainly been tougher than I expected trying to increase my fitness levels, and I'm far from satisfied with the results! It's frustrating, wanting to be able to run faster, further, and instead moving seamlessly from a painful leg to stomach cramps to back ache, or some other equally limiting trajectory. I've been doing some fairly long runs on recent Sundays, and it's fascinating observing myself. I set out, with a degree of trepidation. I find I can indeed still run, and bounce along energetically enjoying myself. Time passes, and I realise I have failed to conserve my energy for the distance I am attempting. I slow down. Things start to hurt. Bounce disappears and I risk injury as I plod onward. I think about getting back. I'm still more than an hour from home. I think I will never get there. I keep going anyway, my movements losing fluidity with every step. I arrive. I feel great. The aim for the next month is to learn to pace myself so that I might still be running at the end rather than barely raising my feet from the ground!
The donation from Caterplus has certainly made things look more healthy on the fundraising front; the total now stands at £1,325.88. That makes it sound a bit more believable that I might reach £2000 by the big day. On the other hand, the pool of friends yet to make a donation is, of course, shrinking as the total rises. Please help me spread the word further afield if you can!
Saturday, 8 March 2014
A Little Extra!
I can't resist sharing this great news with you - a £300 boost to my fundraising campaign! That brings my total to a very healthy £1,135.88.
So, I'd like to thank Paul and all the kind people at Caterplus - the caterers who look after our older sisters' community in Notting Hill.
Of course, another £864.12 is still needed to reach my goal, so please keep working on your friends to convince them it's worth making a donation!
And many thanks also for the other donations received recently; I'm hoping it's the beginning of a roll! ALL your help, financial and otherwise, is so much appreciated.
So, I'd like to thank Paul and all the kind people at Caterplus - the caterers who look after our older sisters' community in Notting Hill.
Of course, another £864.12 is still needed to reach my goal, so please keep working on your friends to convince them it's worth making a donation!
And many thanks also for the other donations received recently; I'm hoping it's the beginning of a roll! ALL your help, financial and otherwise, is so much appreciated.
Wednesday, 5 March 2014
Darnel and Wheat
Ash Wednesday: the day in the Catholic calendar when we listen to the words, "when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting...", and a few minutes later go forward to have a big cross marked on our foreheads. I suppose the only way I can reconcile these elements of the liturgy is to understand them both as reminders of what, or who, my actions should be for. Fasting is useless if it serves to give me a warm glow of heroic self-restraint. The same goes for prayer and alms-giving: if these are about basking in self-perceived holiness, I am a hypocrite, not a Christian. So it's not such a bad idea to be marked as what I am: a hypocrite, a sinner, a creature formed from the dust who turns away so readily from its creator and who can do nothing apart from that creator. Yet who, with the creator, is a co-creator! Today, if I wish, I can give my sandwich to the lady who sits by the underground station, rather than eating it myself. Today, if I wish, I can pray for her. Today, if I wish, I can ask God to help me crush and smother the darnel in me to give space for the wheat to grow. But I can ask, too, for acceptance. We are all darnel and wheat. Concentrating on the darnel in others is a sure recipe for bitterness. Concentrating on the darnel in ourselves is a sure recipe for discouragement. This Lent, my prayer is for God to help me rejoice in the wheat!
Thanks to all you people who have shown me the wheat in the world by your words of support, by your positive response to my efforts to be a co-creator. You give me the energy I need to keep on running!
Thanks to all you people who have shown me the wheat in the world by your words of support, by your positive response to my efforts to be a co-creator. You give me the energy I need to keep on running!
Monday, 24 February 2014
CCS Fact File
The title of today's post, as well as much of its content, is unashamedly stolen from CCS's most recent Annual Review. It's a really interesting document full of information about what all their projects achieved in 2012/13. There's a link to it at the bottom of the "Our Mission and Values" page of the CCS website (www.cathchild.org.uk); I recommend having a look, especially as it's not too long!
For those of you who don't make it there, or to tempt you to visit, here is a little distillation of some of the facts and figures I found most interesting. They all refer to the 2012/13 operating year.
400 children, parents and carers used the "Stay & Play" facility in North Kensington, benefitting from specialist equipment and opportunities to socialise.
This project also provided families with Christmas food hampers and appropriate gifts for their children, transforming the festive season from a trial to a treat.
The School Counselling service enabled 767 children, young people and parents to access psychotherapy or play therapy.
St Francis Family Centre in Poplar provided 140 people with advice or an emergency voucher from the "Crisis Fund".
Over 400 people benefitted from the services of this project over the year.
So what could your donation do?
£20 will buy specialist toys for a child with learning disabilities.
£50 will fund a play therapy session for a young child struggling with mental health issues.
£100 will buy a set of educational toys for the St Francis Family Centre toy library, so that children from deprived backgrounds can borrow them to play with at home.
And what about the value of the £2000 I'm raising for CCS?
£500 will fund a bereavement workshop for 30 parents struggling to support their child following the death of a loved one.
£1,000 will enable a child who has experienced domestic violence to receive counselling sessions for a year, preventing the associated mental health problems from persisting into adult life.
Each tiny action really does help to bring nearer the day when no child has to suffer because of a poor start in life. Could you help this week by telling a friend about my project?
For those of you who don't make it there, or to tempt you to visit, here is a little distillation of some of the facts and figures I found most interesting. They all refer to the 2012/13 operating year.
400 children, parents and carers used the "Stay & Play" facility in North Kensington, benefitting from specialist equipment and opportunities to socialise.
This project also provided families with Christmas food hampers and appropriate gifts for their children, transforming the festive season from a trial to a treat.
The School Counselling service enabled 767 children, young people and parents to access psychotherapy or play therapy.
St Francis Family Centre in Poplar provided 140 people with advice or an emergency voucher from the "Crisis Fund".
Over 400 people benefitted from the services of this project over the year.
So what could your donation do?
£20 will buy specialist toys for a child with learning disabilities.
£50 will fund a play therapy session for a young child struggling with mental health issues.
£100 will buy a set of educational toys for the St Francis Family Centre toy library, so that children from deprived backgrounds can borrow them to play with at home.
And what about the value of the £2000 I'm raising for CCS?
£500 will fund a bereavement workshop for 30 parents struggling to support their child following the death of a loved one.
£1,000 will enable a child who has experienced domestic violence to receive counselling sessions for a year, preventing the associated mental health problems from persisting into adult life.
Each tiny action really does help to bring nearer the day when no child has to suffer because of a poor start in life. Could you help this week by telling a friend about my project?
Friday, 14 February 2014
Two months and counting...
Apparently it's a whole month since my last "countdown" post. So what is there to report? Well, I'd like to say that I've made excellent progress with training and that my fundraising activities have doubled in fruitfulness.
Unfortunately, the above statement reflects desire far more accurately than reality. There have been little steps in the right direction, though. It's great to see an increase of pageviews of this blog - please do keep on visiting! - and the virginmoneygiving thermometer continues to inch up. I'm sure it'll accelerate as April approaches, especially if I manage to take enough time out from my studies (too many pieces of coursework to write at present...) to spread the word a bit further and more insistently about my project.
Training, it has to be said, is making me realise I'm not 20 anymore. Gone are the days when a couple of jogs around the blog was all it needed to wake my muscles up. Now, they scream, stiffen, and remain as weak as ever! OK, I am exaggerating. Barring something unexpected, I don't have any real worries about getting round, so I guess it's mainly my pride at stake. It would be self-deception not to admit that a faster run than last time is what I'd like to achieve!
I know, though, that whether it takes me 3 hours(!) or 7, the real satisfaction will be in having contributed to empowering people in difficult life situations. I am so fortunate - materially secure, loved, privileged in so many ways. What would give me the right to live with my eyes closed to people who aren't so lucky?
Unfortunately, the above statement reflects desire far more accurately than reality. There have been little steps in the right direction, though. It's great to see an increase of pageviews of this blog - please do keep on visiting! - and the virginmoneygiving thermometer continues to inch up. I'm sure it'll accelerate as April approaches, especially if I manage to take enough time out from my studies (too many pieces of coursework to write at present...) to spread the word a bit further and more insistently about my project.
Training, it has to be said, is making me realise I'm not 20 anymore. Gone are the days when a couple of jogs around the blog was all it needed to wake my muscles up. Now, they scream, stiffen, and remain as weak as ever! OK, I am exaggerating. Barring something unexpected, I don't have any real worries about getting round, so I guess it's mainly my pride at stake. It would be self-deception not to admit that a faster run than last time is what I'd like to achieve!
I know, though, that whether it takes me 3 hours(!) or 7, the real satisfaction will be in having contributed to empowering people in difficult life situations. I am so fortunate - materially secure, loved, privileged in so many ways. What would give me the right to live with my eyes closed to people who aren't so lucky?
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
A Visit to CCS HQ!
With the cash I'd collected mounting up, I thought that taking it to the Catholic Children's Society offices myself would be a good way of finding out a bit more about the charity your donations and my running are supporting! I've been to Charles Square before, but had never realised that there was such a lot tucked behind that stretch of Ladbroke Grove. Eventually I made it past the school and Sixth Form College to the premises of CCS, where you will also find a small French school and the offices of a couple of other charities. Once in the CCS offices, though, I was surprised to find it really peaceful. Megan, my main contact there, gave me a tour and introduced me to some of the staff, who kept saying, "You're so generous to do this for us." I don't really associate the generosity with myself - that's more the realm of you donors and supporters, as well as the staff up there. I just do something I enjoy, with the added reward of knowing that it's having a positive impact on the lives of people I haven't even met.
Certainly the CCS staff must have the same sense of fulfilment in their work to continue day after day with the task of asking people for money. I really don't envy them. There are so many charities vying for attention, and so many of them doing invaluable and irreplaceable work! CCS is small. All it does is offer support to a few thousand children in the Westminster area. But each of those is an individual with a future ahead of them, with their own dignity, their own capacity to make the world a better place, just needing a little support to live in a way which will enable them to reach their potential.
I haven't visited any of CCS's projects yet, but the very personal and individual support which is provided clearly makes a real difference to the families who use their services. That might be as simple as a food hamper at Christmas to change the day from a trial to a celebration, or as complex as school-based psychotherapy for a child struggling with mental health issues. Thank you for helping to make that difference. The good news is that recent donors Georgia, Hannah, Barbara and John have brought the current total to £710.88! You, and all of you who support me, are the real stars of this project!
Certainly the CCS staff must have the same sense of fulfilment in their work to continue day after day with the task of asking people for money. I really don't envy them. There are so many charities vying for attention, and so many of them doing invaluable and irreplaceable work! CCS is small. All it does is offer support to a few thousand children in the Westminster area. But each of those is an individual with a future ahead of them, with their own dignity, their own capacity to make the world a better place, just needing a little support to live in a way which will enable them to reach their potential.
I haven't visited any of CCS's projects yet, but the very personal and individual support which is provided clearly makes a real difference to the families who use their services. That might be as simple as a food hamper at Christmas to change the day from a trial to a celebration, or as complex as school-based psychotherapy for a child struggling with mental health issues. Thank you for helping to make that difference. The good news is that recent donors Georgia, Hannah, Barbara and John have brought the current total to £710.88! You, and all of you who support me, are the real stars of this project!
Sunday, 26 January 2014
"Runs Again"?
I suppose it might not be self-evident why I've called my project "Marathon Sister Runs Again". The "marathon" and the "sister" parts are probably reasonably self-explanatory, but maybe not the final two words. So, if you're sitting comfortably, here's a little story.
Once upon a time, that is, in November 2007, I entered the Religious of the Assumption as a postulant (that's the first stage of formation, before becoming a novice). I lived in Kensington (sounds familiar) and worked in the garden and had some lessons while grappling with the most challenging element, to get accustomed to the community and prayer life of the sisters. Around late summer 2008, with still another year as a postulant in prospect, I had a chat with the sister looking after me about my timetable. An extra project seemed in order. Maybe I could do some work in The Passage, the drop-in centre for homeless people near Westminster Cathedral, or find a shift in a charity shop? Well yes, that would be OK, I responded, but how about something a little more individual? For example, I suggested, how about running two marathons in two weeks to raise two thousand pounds each for two charities? Let's be clear, I didn't seriously expect to get past the initial incomprehension and suspicion. Yet somehow, it happened! The Bungay Marathon was on 19th April 2009, and the London Marathon a week later. Oh, and no, I hadn't run a marathon before that project. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't have come up with the idea... Or maybe I would; marathons do have a way of getting under your skin.
All the same, a little basic maths should reveal that there's been a 5 year gap since then. Well, I was in the noviciate, and when I got back I didn't want to be too demanding - such an enterprise creates a certain amount of extra work for the whole community. Happily, when the suggestion was made to me and I expressed enthusiasm, the seal of approval was granted. So here I am, running again! Yes, that's it, Marathon Sister Runs Again. It was pretty obvious, really.
One thing differs from last time round. I had quite a lot of time then, and threw myself into all sorts of fundraising schemes, with reasonable success. Now, I'm relying more on hope than on action - as I said in my last post. My fundraising page is still waiting for some more visits... the address is on the side panel (look to the right!). Next time I write, I hope to tell you a bit about the excellent charity I'm doing all this for, and the people they empower to lead happier and more fulfilled lives.
Once again, thank you - for taking the time to read this - and for all your support.
Once upon a time, that is, in November 2007, I entered the Religious of the Assumption as a postulant (that's the first stage of formation, before becoming a novice). I lived in Kensington (sounds familiar) and worked in the garden and had some lessons while grappling with the most challenging element, to get accustomed to the community and prayer life of the sisters. Around late summer 2008, with still another year as a postulant in prospect, I had a chat with the sister looking after me about my timetable. An extra project seemed in order. Maybe I could do some work in The Passage, the drop-in centre for homeless people near Westminster Cathedral, or find a shift in a charity shop? Well yes, that would be OK, I responded, but how about something a little more individual? For example, I suggested, how about running two marathons in two weeks to raise two thousand pounds each for two charities? Let's be clear, I didn't seriously expect to get past the initial incomprehension and suspicion. Yet somehow, it happened! The Bungay Marathon was on 19th April 2009, and the London Marathon a week later. Oh, and no, I hadn't run a marathon before that project. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't have come up with the idea... Or maybe I would; marathons do have a way of getting under your skin.
All the same, a little basic maths should reveal that there's been a 5 year gap since then. Well, I was in the noviciate, and when I got back I didn't want to be too demanding - such an enterprise creates a certain amount of extra work for the whole community. Happily, when the suggestion was made to me and I expressed enthusiasm, the seal of approval was granted. So here I am, running again! Yes, that's it, Marathon Sister Runs Again. It was pretty obvious, really.
One thing differs from last time round. I had quite a lot of time then, and threw myself into all sorts of fundraising schemes, with reasonable success. Now, I'm relying more on hope than on action - as I said in my last post. My fundraising page is still waiting for some more visits... the address is on the side panel (look to the right!). Next time I write, I hope to tell you a bit about the excellent charity I'm doing all this for, and the people they empower to lead happier and more fulfilled lives.
Once again, thank you - for taking the time to read this - and for all your support.
Tuesday, 14 January 2014
Countdown: 3 months to go
How can I avoid clichés about the speed of time passing in this post? Yes, time has been passing more quickly than I could have imagined. No, I don't know where it's gone. Yes, there are three months to go. No, I'm not well prepared! But three months is long enough to do a lot, I hope! Indeed, the training programmes offered by the London marathon organisers seem to be suggesting long runs of only 10-12 miles at this stage - that's a normal weekly run for me. (Endurance, not speed, is the only thing I have going for me, but that's nevertheless quite a useful capacity for marathon running.) So it could be considered that I'm doing OK. I'm not sure I'm entirely convinced by the training programmes, though, which are designed for people who can train more frequently than I manage and which seem to expect a lot of progress in a short time. All the same, my own training, a lot more haphazard but also a lot more gradual, is going as well as I might hope, and so far is achieving its main aim of avoiding injury while building up stamina and strength at least a bit. Indeed, I managed a run of about 18 miles before Christmas, although "run" might not be a good description for what I was doing by the end. So, I suppose you could say things are on track from that perspective. I just need to get moving again after a few weeks of disruption and over-indulgence!
For the fundraising aspect I'm less sure you could say that I'm up to speed. It's going a bit slowly - and that's unsurprising I suppose considering the limited time I've spent on it. Unfortunately, it comes back to my choice to take on this project in the final year of my degree; time is at a bit of a premium just now. With fundraising, though, just as with training, haphazard and gradual is probably at least reasonably effective, and I know that there are quite a few people who are planning to make a donation but haven't managed to get round to it yet! Maybe, if you're one of them, you could help ease my jitters by visiting my fundraising page? And maybe, if you think this project has anything to recommend it, you could tell a friend about it?
As always, thank you for all your help and support!
For the fundraising aspect I'm less sure you could say that I'm up to speed. It's going a bit slowly - and that's unsurprising I suppose considering the limited time I've spent on it. Unfortunately, it comes back to my choice to take on this project in the final year of my degree; time is at a bit of a premium just now. With fundraising, though, just as with training, haphazard and gradual is probably at least reasonably effective, and I know that there are quite a few people who are planning to make a donation but haven't managed to get round to it yet! Maybe, if you're one of them, you could help ease my jitters by visiting my fundraising page? And maybe, if you think this project has anything to recommend it, you could tell a friend about it?
As always, thank you for all your help and support!
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Resolutions?
Although I'm not a great fan of New Year's resolutions, which mostly seem like another opportunity to have good intentions and fail, my ear was caught by the report of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby's message for the start of 2014. We should resolve, he thinks, to try to change the world around us. Well, not much to ask, thought I! But what does it mean to change the world? Would considering my marathon effort to be world-changing come from an over-inflated sense of self-importance, or would it just be a recognition that we all change the world, every moment of every day? Surely, the latter. We all have free choice how to change the world: our little actions, our reactions, compassionate or judgemental, have an impact on those around us, and so, like ripples on a pond, on the whole of creation. Often I'm disappointed with the choices I make, the opportunities I miss, my negative contributions to the world. Yet these are off-set, let's hope, by moments of grace, the pleasure of generosity, the sense of community and communion which come from shared projects. This marathon is not really mine; the contribution it will make to Catholic Children's Society is not really mine. Alone, I could do very little. So, as much as I hardly dare resolve anything, this year I hope I might: a.) recognise the mutual dependence of everyone in the world to make it a better place; b.) trust that my personal actions can, in communion with yours, achieve something worthwhile. In this, as in everything, I will need your help. I could also do with some reminders to get more sleep and to eat more healthily, if I'm going to manage 26.1 miles! Are you in? I hope so, because with you, a resolution might for once bear fruit.
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