Fundraising events
Students Drive a Van Across Europe to support SOS Children
This summer, Manchester University students, Jonathan Barnes and George Clipp have set themselves a fundraising and awareness raising challenge for SOS Children. Their plan is to drive a van across Europe, sufficiently kitted out with promotional and fundraising material, podcasting the trip onto their website www.sosvan.eu as they go. The guys will visit every capital city of the EU, attempting to park their van wherever a lot of people are going to see it; whether this means under the Eiffel Tower or outside the Ernst Happel Stadion on June 29th.
Along the journey, Jonathan and George will attend events that attract media attention and large numbers of people, in order to give profile to SOS Children. In addition to this they will also carry out fundraising challenges, including a marathon, a bike ride and a busk-athon, to attract sponsorship back in the U.K.
The adventure will kick off in Switzerland and Austria for Euro 2008 where the guys will be representing the absent England and promoting the good work of SOS Children to the football community.
The trip will also provide the opportunity for Jonathan and George to gain a real insight into SOS Children on the ground in Europe and why fundraising is needed.
All the best to Jonathan, George and their van!
Expedition Equus: 2 Girls, 2 Journeys, 1 Dream
On August 5th 2008, Expedition Equus, a team of two women, Rebecca Sampson and Zena Fish, are beginning a ride from London to Tokyo in aid of SOS Children. The ride is supported by Sir Ranulph Fiennes and the great adventurer Jason Lewis of Expedition 360.
The expedition will span two continents, 15 countries and cover more than 15,000 km. We believe we will be the first women in history to undertake this incredible journey. The motivation for the expedition is not just to fulfil a lifelong ambition to ride from London to Tokyo, but to raise awareness for and promote SOS Children, visiting some of the SOS Children's Villages on route. Whilst one team member, Becky, is completing the entire ride, the other team member, Zena, is riding for the first year to Turkey, and from then on shall be coordinating the rest of the ride from England, linking schools in the UK with SOS Children's Villages in the countries Rebecca shall be riding through.
The route passes through France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Japan. Ten of these 15 countries have SOS Villages.
For more details see www.expeditionequus.com or email info@expeditionequus.com
Parachute Jump
SOS Volunteer Argyri Vasilaki is planning to do a sponsored parachute jump for SOS Children at the beginning of August. She also encourages her friends and family to jump with her! Read more about Argyri's idea on http://www.justgiving.com/argyrivasilaki
Great North Run
On 5 October 2008, Anthony Austin and Sarah Ellis took part in the Great North Run.
Anthony's 22 year old son, Tom, died in a road accident in Bolivia in April and his family set up the Tom Austin Sports Fund through SOS Children Bolivia to provide sports facilities or instruction in the Children's Villages near La Paz. Anthony and Sarah raised over £2,000 for the fund on the day which would have been Tom's 23rd birthday.
Anthony finished in 2 hours 23 minutes and Sarah, in her first half marathon, finished in 2 hours 39 minutes.
The picture on the left shows them after the run with their medals.
We would like to say a huge thank you to Anthony and Sarah for all their hard work and determination.