June 17th and the 34 mile walk from Winchester Cathedral to the amazing Woodlarks camp in Surrey is now just ONE days away. It looks like the 12 ( no 11) of us walking will be sweating under a hot sun on what will be our last trek for Woodlarks. We are all very grateful that so many of you have donated allowing us to reach, with gift aid, £20,000 raised. Thank you to all who have given Woodlarks much needed funds. But…
We want to raise more. So, as you think of me sweating away, with my dodgy knees creaking, now NOT being lectured by my good friend the Euroloon Jonathan for 16 hours on why I must have been stupid to have voted for Brexit and how I should have listened to “the experts” because the Euroloon’s mum has had a fall and she will be getting the lectures instead as her son cares for her, please consider…
I have been involved with this cause for two decades since the very premature birth of my daughter Olaf at 1lb 4 oz when we were warned that there was a good chance that she might get cerebral palsy, something that many Woodlarks campers suffer from. An amazing chap, Nick Richards, contacted me at the time and that is where it all started. Olaf is fine and will graduate from Oxford this year, her last exam was this week.
Those of you who have followed me for years will remember how we helped one such lad from the wrong side of the river in East London, Jamie. He passed away more than ten years ago but the generosity of so many of you transformed his, tragically short, life.
There are other folks like Jamie we’d like to help Woodlarks to help and so one last time I ask each of you to consider donating even just a tenner so we can all make a real difference. You can donate HERE.
For various reasons myself and Lucian Miers will be calling it a day on the Woodlarks walk after this year. This will be my sixth walk, Lucian’s fifth, the fourth for Andrew Bell (maybe he will complete the walk this time) and for young Steve Moore. Islington health freak Nick is on his second walk and we have 4 newbies. Photos of all the rogues will appear here tomorrow.
After Saturday 17 June I will not be begging you to donate just a tenner, something I am sure you can all afford. There will be no more Rogue Bloggers appeals.
With gift aid and a couple of pledges we have now raised £20,000 but for Woodlarks every penny really does help it bring much needed joy and happiness to folks facing very challenging lives. So, in what is a last hurrah, I really want to raise a lot more.
Please make a donation, however small, to change lives HERE
In advance I thank you.
Tom Winnifrith