Making a difference

Winners lose – Week 8

Posted on March 21, 2016 by angelahamilton66

The difference between a boy and a man

On Thursday my youngest son was due home from University. As I haven’t seen him since just after Christmas I was sure he would notice how much weight I had lost – after all it’s over a stone. So I headed off to pick him up from the train station hopeful that he would say something. I really should have known better.

Now don’t get me wrong. I didn’t expect it to be the first thing he said. But by the time we were halfway home I’d heard about everything he wanted to tell me from Uni, we talked about family and friends and how everyone is and we’d even managed to discuss the EU referendum in quite a lot of detail. So when he started to move on to talking about football (he’s a Manchester United fan while I support Sunderland) I decided I’d had enough and had to say something. It went a bit like this.

Me: Do you think I look any different

Joe: Uh. What. No. Why. Are you still not well?

Me: No Joe, I’m fine. Do you not think I’ve lost weight

Joe: Dunno really. I haven’t seen you since Christmas so can’t really tell.

Silence followed for a few minutes with me wondering why I bother if even my own son hasn’t noticed any difference. Then Joe broke the silence by saying ‘Are we going to the shops before we go home?”

So off we went to the supermarket with me still wondering if all the calorie counting and lack of chocolate was really worth the effort. As we wondered round I was contemplating buying things I haven’t eaten in weeks. Chicken and chorizo paella? Steak and kidney pie? Chocolate trifle? All really tempting.

I was just about to give in when I spotted my Nephew wandering towards us. And the conversation we had restored all my faith and gave me just the boost I needed. You see it went something like this:

Me: You ok?

David: Not bad. You’ve lost loads of weight. You look great.

Me: Thank you. Over a stone. Joe didn’t even notice.

David (while looking at Joe): You’ve got to be joking

Joe: Uh, whatever (before returning his focus to his phone)

So as I went to get weighed this morning I thought about those two conversations. Conversations that really showed the difference between a boy (who’s only interested in himself) and a man (who notices what’s happening around him) and hoped David’s encouragement had managed to pay off.

And the result is………..

Another 3 pound lost

Another 3 pound lost. That’s a total of 18lb in just 8 weeks. More than I could ever have hoped for. And only 10 pound to go to reach my target of 2 stone by my birthday, which isn’t until August. And of course another £3 for the Charlie Cookson Foundation

And while I don’t really want to frighten anyone – I thought it was time to share a picture of my happy face after I got off the scales. So here goes. No make-up and hair tied back but definitely happy……………

Happy face

And my tip of the week is……………………..

Just because someone close to you doesn’t notice what you’ve achieved it doesn’t mean the rest of the world isn’t impressed

If you’re impressed with my success you can add to my £’s for pounds at www.justgiving.com/5iftyby5ifty

Categories: Fund raising, I always wanted to, Making a difference | Tags: charity, Charlie Cookson Foundation, Diet, Family life, Happy, Sponsor, Weight loss | Leave a comment

Education = Equality = Democracy

Posted on March 20, 2016 by angelahamilton66

Challenge #1 – Raising £5,000 for charity

Trying to raise £5,000 for charity in one year isn’t easy but is most definitely worth the effort. While most of my fundraising activities are to support My Chosen Charity, the Charlie Cookson Foundation there are others that I am proud to be supporting too.

Back in October, to coincide with the Rugby World Cup, I was lucky enough to be involved in raising funds Tyume Valley Schools. This is a project that supports young people in a very rural area of South Africa so they can go to school.

The project is supported by a very dear friend of mine called Archie Sibeko, also known as Zola Zembe. This week I had the privilege of presenting him with a cheque for £550. This was money we raised in October plus some from books that I had sold on his behalf.

You see Archie is no ordinary man. Because Archie was, and I suppose in some ways still is, a freedom fighter. In 1956 he was one of over 100 people who stood trial in South Africa alongside Nelson Mandela. Archie spent a year in jail, sharing a cell with Mandela and many others before spending most of his life actively fighting apartheid in South Africa.

He is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. At 88 years old and having fought many battles before witnessing the first free elections in his home country he has earned the right to relax and put is feet up. But no, not Archie. Today, even though he now lives in the UK, he is still fighting discrimination and striving for equality and fairness – though his methods may have changed.

Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. And by actively supporting Tyume Valley Schools, Archie is giving the poorest children from the area in which he grew up the key to unlock the door to freedom and opportunity.

You can learn more about Archie’s story by purchasing a copy of his book Freedom in Our Lifetime. The book costs just £10 (for £2 more you can have a copy signed by the great man himself) with all money raised going to support Tyume Valley Schools.*

: Just £10 for an amazing read

: Or a signed copy for just £2 more

* Special thanks go to UNISON Northern Region for re-printing Freedom in Our Lifetime meaning the full amount from all books sold will be donated to Tyume Valley Schools

Categories: Fund raising, Making a difference, South Africa | Tags: Archie Sibeko, charity, Eastern Cape, Education, Equality, Freedom in Our Lifetime, Fundraising, Nelson Mandela, Schools, South Africa, UNISON, Zola Zembe | 1 Comment

Winners lose – Week 7

Posted on March 14, 2016 by angelahamilton66

After last week’s nightmare, due to ill health, I wasn’t sure what to expect at my weekly weigh-in. I’d lost 3 pound last week but as I barely ate for 3 days I’m fairly sure that some of it was water and I was sure I’d put it all back on.

After all not only have I been eating again but I’ve had a night out with the wonderful Joanne and Christina.

Girls night

Which not only involved the obligatory cocktails

Cocktail

But also some amazing Asian Tapas

And the result is…………………

No change this week

I’ve stayed the same. Not lost anything but not gained. And that in itself has caused me a problem. I’ve agreed to donate £1 to the Charlie Cookson Foundation for every pound I lose and £2 for every pound I gain but hadn’t even thought about what I would do if I stayed the same.

£ for pound – no one loses………..

So this is what I’ve decided. I haven’t lost and the charity can’t either. If I’d lost a pound I’d have donated £1 and if I’d gained a pound I’d have donated £2. So as I’ve stayed the same I’ve decided to add the two amounts together and donate £3 because…………………………

Even if no one loses someone can still win

If you’re impressed with my success, or lack of it this week, you can add to my £’s for pounds at www.justgiving.com/5iftyby5ifty

Categories: Fund raising, I always wanted to, Making a difference, Sponsor | Tags: charity, Charlie Cookson Foundation, Diet | Leave a comment

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