As anyone who has ever met me will know, I really love Russia. I'm delighted to work for a charity that does too, so much so that they named themselves just that: 'Love Russia'.

We're raising money to build a transition home in St Petersburg - a safe place for young people to live while they adjust to independence and learn the life skills needed to survive in the big wide world. Early life dealt them a bad hand and we want to turn the odds in their favour.

I won't let a childhood hatred of sport and a history of exercise-induced asthma stand in my way!

More about the Transition Home Appeal: https://youtu.be/kKTZUerFQDY
More about Love Russia: http://www.loverussia.org/

Thanks for putting up with my Russia love, dear friends. Do send me a message if you have any questions. Peace & love, H x

Back story: 
A long time ago (in 2008) in Durban, South Africa, I heard a presentation about why our hosts wanted to build a home for teenage AIDS orphans. They used a Russian federal statistic to illustrate the need:

Statistically, 80% of those leaving state care at age 16 will be street homeless, addicted or in prison within one year, and 10% will commit suicide.

At the end of our trip, many people spoke of the way Durban's townships had captured them, how the needs and experiences they had seen would stay with them forever. The overwhelming cry of my heart was 'but Russia...'

The official stats haven't changed, but Love Russia Mentors and Transition Homes in Ryazan are having an impact, life by life. It's time for our St Petersburg Mentors to have living space to offer the young people they guide, teach and care for (though they'll probably still keep on opening up their little flat as emergency shelter; they're just such big-hearted people) and we need help to fill this need.