The Team
Tim Barber www.myactionaid.org.uk/mrbarber
"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." - Edmund Burke. In May 2008, a team of Action Aid volunteers will undertake a gruelling triathlon for those affected by HIV/AIDS in Malawi and Mozambique. The team will not only face physical challenges during the triathlon, but will also gain first-hand perspective on the extent of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa and the types of amazing projects which Action Aid run. By taking part in the 'Mission Malawi 2008' challenge, the team aims to benefit the lives of people affected by HIV/AIDS, while raising awareness back home of the significance of the disease and its impact.
Dan Cleland www.myactionaid.org.uk/dancleland
I have been working in TV and film Production for the past eight years and thats crossed all kinds of different disciplines including TV Entertainment and Feature Film production, I am now a Production Manager for commercials, responsible for the logistics and budgeting of an advert film shoot. I first became involved in Mission Malawi in 2005 and the trip was a really rewarding experience so I have decided to sign up and go all over again! I produced a film about my experience on Mission Malawi 2 which can be seen here.
Lynsey Cottle www.myactionaid.org.uk/lynseycottle
I am a Community Development Worker in Manchester, although I am originally from Blackpool. I enjoy thai boxing, bike riding and music and I love the great outdoors. When I heard about Mission Malawi 3 I thought it was a great sounding idea but probably way too tough for me! I found out more and decided there was no way I could miss out on such an adventure! No doubt it will be very tough but it is such a worthy cause and I hope you will support us all in any way you can.
Jez Dolan www.myactionaid.org.uk/jezdolan
Hi, I'm Jez. I live in Manchester with my husband David, and our dog Stanley. I was a team member of Mission Malawi II in 2006, and have signed up to go back again in May 2008. Malawi is an incredible country, with beautiful people, many of whom are living in incredibly difficult circumstances. Not least the fact that 1 in 7 people in Malawi is living with HIV/AIDS and someone dies every 9 minutes from AIDS related illnesses. Please give what you can, and we'll do our best to raise even more money for what is a really important issue.
Janette Edmonds www.myactionaid.org.uk/jedmonds
I am Janette Edmonds and work as an Ergonomist in Bristol. Ergonomics is about designing things to be usable and safe so I work with lots of other designers and engineers in different settings, like railways, factories, mobile phone companies. In my spare time, I enjoy doing outdoor sports which is perfect for my training for Mission Malawi. Typically, this includes kayaking, cycling and mountain walking. I also enjoy knocking walls down at home and rebuilding my house how I want it! Why not join us on Mission Malawi 3 and set yourself a physical and personal challenge, which also raises money for some very worthwhile causes?
Julia Edmonds www.myactionaid.org.uk/juliaedmonds
Hi I am Julia, I am an Acupuncture Practitioner, working at two busy practices in Edinburgh. I live in the lovely East Lothian town of Haddington. I am a keen outdoors person, walking the hills and playing on the beach with my dog Lily and spending time with friends are my chief pastimes. I am also a keen foodie. I am looking forward to the challenge of Mission Malawi and making some new friends along the way. Please sponsor us with whatever you can as it all makes a difference.
Jesse Griffiths www.myactionaid.org.uk/jgriffiths
My name is Jesse and I work for ActionAid UK. Les asked me if I'd like to join the team for Mission Malawi 3 and of course I said yes straight away! ActionAid works with some of the poorest people around the world. We have a unique vision and direction. We don't impose solutions, but work with communities over many years to give themselves a better future. The HIV/AIDS clinics and orphanages that are supported by the donations raised by Mission Malawi are just a few examples of these projects. Please help us to continue our work and give people hope and a better life.
Billy Partridge www.myactionaid.org.uk/gogobillyboy
This year I decided it was time I started to do whatever I could to help those less fortunate than myself. I work at The Lowry in Salford Quays which is in itself a charitable organisation. I joined the Mission Malawi 3 team having spoken to Dave Armstrong about his experiences on the last trip. I am never without my bike so this sounded perfect for me! The dedication of the team and the amount of money that had been raised to fund HIV/AIDS projects working in Malawi is amazing. I feel very proud to say that I am now a part of the team. Please do whatever you can to support us.
Les Pratt www.myactionaid.org.uk/bonaomi
My name's Les Pratt and I'm a producer for BBC Radio 3, based in Manchester. I set up Mission Malawi back in 2003, and I can hardly believe we're preparing for our 3rd expedition already! More than 40 people have taken part in the 2 expeditions so far, and we've raised a staggering £175,000 along the way - money which is being well-spent in ActionAid's HIV projects, specifically in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. In May 2008, we'll be cycling over 400km and walking through one of Malawi's national parks, visiting orphanages and care centres en route. Please dig deep and donate anything you can afford. This money will help the many hundreds of thousands of people in Africa who are struggling to cope with the day to day effects of HIV/AIDS. Thank you so much.
Brendan Rendall www.myactionaid.org.uk/brendanrendall
Hi, I'm Brendan, I spend most of my free time running, training and racing. Other interests include photography, traveling and outdoor pursuits. I had always wanted to link my running/training in with charity work and doing something positive but was always unsure how to do so. After seeing the Mission Malawi 3 website online I knew this was the challenge for me. I am extremely excited about being part of Mission Malawi 3. To raise more interest and importantly more money I have set myself a personal goal; I will be running a marathon in March/April a month before I go to Malawi.
James Roberts www.myactionaid.org.uk/jamesroberts
I'm 35, married with a young son and work as a Geography teacher and Humanities Curriculum Leader at Isleworth & Syon School in West London. I've wanted to be involved in something like Mission Malawi for quite a while and the opportunity arose last year when I got back in touch with a university friend, Les Pratt, who runs the challenge. Please go on to my donations page and read my reasons for wanting to do Mission Malawi, and then dig deep to donate to the good that ActionAid and Mission Malawi are doing in southern Africa.
John Saunders www.myactionaid.org.uk/jsaunders
G'day. I'm originally from sunny Sydney, Australia but now live in not so sunny Manchester, England (yes I am crazy lol!). I have lived in the U.K. for the past 8 years and over that time i have travelled to over 30 countries and it is safe to say I definitely have been bitten by the travel bug. I heard about Mission Malawi from people who have participated the last two times and through a lot of persuasion (Les Pratt!) I decided that this would be a great way to continue my travels as well as doing something worthwhile. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi is shocking, so if I can help raise money and awareness of the problem by hopping on a bike then it's the least I could do. Thanks for your support and donations.
Mark Wakeling www.myactionaid.org.uk/actormark
Hello! My name is Mark and I am an actor living in London. As an ex army officer I often end up playing soldiers, which is hazardous in my industry, as I seem to get killed off a lot! Five years ago I started my own company called the Actors Temple, which is fast becoming London's most popular and innovative acting training/production companies. The acting work we do has opened my mind to so many things and taught me some life changing lessons about myself and those around me. I feel fit and able to tackle the challenges that lie ahead in Mission Malawi and look forward to seeing ActionAid's work in action.
