Mission Malawi 3 - May 2008

A group of Seventeen headed to Malawi in May of 2008 to pedal and hike across the country and visit the fantastic projects benefitting from their fundraising, which totalled a whopping £82,000!

Annmarie Harris Well what can i say to all you lovely people who are going to help me raise and donate money to help this wonderful event. For all those who know me, you will know that i love life. Doing Mission Malawi 3 will be amazing! But this can only happen with all your help. I need team work. Think of it this way i will be putting all my energy into getting fit, while you can give all your support by sponsoring me. Together we can really do something really fantastic. Whatever you donation great or small will help towards. Remember the sooner we recieve your donation the sooner we can put your money to work.

Anthony Cunliffe Hi, I'm Anthony, I'm a GP working in Central London, originally from Wigan, and my medical background is in sexual health. As those of you who know me will know, this trip is certainly not my idea of a holiday, just for the camping alone. However, I decided that I wanted to achieve something a little more this year and I thought this was a good start. The money raised for Mission Malawi not only helps provide medical aid but also education and training to young people orphaned due to HIV/AIDS so that those remaining can build a life for themsleves and avoid poverty and a repeat of the cycle.

Billy Partridge 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.

Brendan Rendall 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.

Dan Cleland A 33 year old Producer working in Advertising, Dan lives in London and has taken part in two Mission Malawi treks, 2 & 3 and is signed up for MM4 as well.  I fell in love with Malawi when I first visited in 2006 and Mission Malawi has been a big part of my life ever since, I’m continually bowled over by the amazing and inspirational people we meet over there, that are working so hard to lift themselves out of poverty and fight HIV.  Every penny we raise goes so far in Africa, so please dig deep.

James Roberts 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.

Janette Edmonds 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?

Jesse Griffiths 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.

Jez Dolan 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.

John Saunders 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.

Julia Edmonds 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.

Les Pratt 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.

Lynsey Cottle 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.

Mark Wakeling 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.

Matthew Cooper I decided to get involved with the Mission Malawi project after seeing accounts of the wonderful work that has already been done by the charity in Malawi. I have also witnessed how it has changed the lives of those who have made the trip previously. I feel that I am very fortunate to live in a country where the great majority does not have to think about the very simplest of life's necessities. Where basic and more advanced medical care is taken for granted, so I felt it was time for me to give what I could to those not as fortunate as myself.

Tim Barber "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.

 

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