Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this.  As you may know I trekked a big chunk of the Great wall of China in 2010, which was to raise money for St. Rose's School in Stroud and now I am off on another challenge, this time to the Amazon.

St. Rose's is a very special place and one that is close to our hearts as our youngest daughter Cerys goes to school there. The school specialises in enabling children with significant physical disabilities to reach their potential, whatever that may be.  One of the very special things about the school is that the team of teaching and therapy staff see the children very positively, celebrating what they can do rather than focusing on what they cannot do.  They have made a real difference to Cerys. 

The point of fundraising is obviously to raise as much money as possible for St Rose's school.  There is another important element though; the daily challenge for children like Cerys is relentless, doing really simple things, rolling over in bed, holding up your head and making eye contact, trying to make yourself understood when you have no spoken language, is incredibly hard.  For these children there is no end to the challenges that they face; Cerebral Palsy doesn't get better, they don't get to have a day off, it doesn't go away, they just have to battle on, amazingly almost always accompanied by a smile and the ability to make those around them feel good.

So with all this in mind the physical challenge and pushing myself to the limits of my stamina and capability is a fundamental part of this expedition. I know that however tough some of the days on the river will be, they will not come close to what these children face every day - the difference being that after 17 days my challenge will be done, not so for them.  

So...the challenge! We plan to kayak approximatley 450 miles of the Peruvian Amazon in 17 days.  We will be rough camping, staying with indiginous families and sleeping in hamocks in the tree canopy. There will be Camen (up to 14 feet long with lots of teeth) piranah as well as spiders and snakes.  I have started Kayaking lessons and have conquered the "capsize drill" fear, so well on my way!  It is 17 months 'til we leave the UK for Peru and on to the Amazon.

I am paying for all the cost of the trip myself so everything that is donated in sponsorship will go directly to the charity.  I have looked at all the "donation" organisations and assessed the most efficient way of getting the sponsorship money to the school and justgiving is the best way I have found to donate.  It is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails.  Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer.  So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now, I raised £12,500 last time and am aiming to beat that target this time.

I will update you on my progress and let you know how the stamina is building! 

Very best wishes, many thanks for your support,
Ruth