On Faisal and Fundraising

I've currently reached 103% of my slightly squiggled target and I'm delighted with it - not because of the target aspect, which was a bit arbitrary at best, but because of the kindness and generosity of so many people which have allowed me to raise £395 for the Refugee Council to date. Really, a deep and resounding thank you to everyone who has donated. If you haven't done so yet.....please do.....the Refugee Council needs your support to provide vital services to refugees and asylum seekers in the U.K. You can give here:

http://www.justgiving.com/Gemma-L-M-Morrison

Fundraising is a rather funny thing if you think about it - through doing something difficult people give you money to give to someone else. Perhaps there's something to do with the northern Scottish Calvinistic ideas of suffering and austere giving which made this so popular when I was a kid, anyone remember TRA sponsored walks, they were the shit.... Getting 600 grumpy teenagers to march up Tain Hill and resist the urge to light up a fag behind one of the pine trees was a Herculean effort on the part of my high school teachers. Respect. 

Tain Hill, looking rather more lovely than I remember it....

I've been reading a lot about children and young people entering the U.K. as asylum seekers, the Refugee Council published an execellent report entitled 'Not a Minor Offence: Children Locked up as Part of the Asylum Process'. To accompany this they made a short film with the help of Faisal, a 15 year old asylum seeker from Afghanistan. His story highlights the fact that the U.K. still detains children, some of whom have been through shocking and horrific experiences. If you have time, please watch his story.   

               

All children and young people have the right to live in peace and safety, they have the right to an education, to people who support and care for them and the right to live in freedom. While we may have moaned whilst walking up Tain Hill, young people like Faisal and young refugees all over the world face a constant battle to live a life in peace and safety. 

On another note - the very lovely Oscar and Lieneke are running in the Dam tot Dam to raise money for Fair Food, an NGO which supports sustainable and fair food growth and supply.  If you have any extra euros you can sponsor them here

http://www.justgiving.nl/nl/pages/886-run-till-we-drop-for-fairfood