Today I launched our appeal for half a dozen more people to join our Dragon Boat Challenge crew on Dorney Lake Sunday 28th June 2015 at the Thames Valley EXPO’s exhibitors lunch at The MacDonald Hotel, Windsor.

 
We’re going to raise money for The Juniper Fund and here’s why…

 
I was a little irritated about having said a swear word a few times in my presentation but after listening to the German’s above I forgave myself! Thanks to Mary Flavelle for the great camera work… would have been nice to capture the standing ovation at the end mind 😉

Educating the families of Nepalese Sherpas killed on Everest

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world with 50% unemployment… one of the main jobs is very dangerous, that of a Sherpa on Everest.

Because Nepal is so poor, when a Sherpa is killed doing his job there is no fall back for his family, no social security system in place, no ambulance chasers to take the families claim to court, they have nothing and what little they do have is secured by the lamas for offering their blessings on the future.

Like our friendly garden robin, if the nest is disturbed the eggs are left to fend for themselves, so it is with Nepalese culture if the mother re-marries the children from the previous marriage have to find their own path.

Daniel Wallace has seen this up close and personal. On his first attempt at Everest 18 Sherpas were lost to an ice avalanche… on his second attempt he was a Base Camp 1 when this year’s earthquake occurred and 4 Sherpas in his team were killed, leaving a dozen kids between them, half of them under 8 years old and now very much in need of support.

Daniel’s friends and fellow adventurers Melissa Arnot and David Morton set up The Juniper Fund in 2012 to help the families of Sherpas killed in action get back on their feet and ensure the children have the chance of a good education.

After hearing Daniel’s story and about the plight of the families at my Rotary Club lunch it seemed only right to focus our fund raising for this year’s Dragon Boat Challenge on The Juniper Fund, specifically those families who are part of Daniel’s team.

http://www.thejuniperfund.org/the-beginnings

If you’d like to join us on 28th June it costs just £50 to be part of the crew, it’s a great day out for all the family, plenty for the kids to do… fill in the form and I’ll contact you shortly and forward the sponsorship form so 5 of your pals can give you £10 or more and help us on our way to the £1000 target.

Or just sponsor us directly here…

Here is the experience of a BBC Journalist on that fateful day…

Bet he wishes he hadn’t put his blinking camera away!

Thank you.

Jon
07717 820823