This summer we have seen some incredible fundraising in support of the infant homes in Malawi. Your fundraising is giving lifechanging care to vulnerable children and we're ever grateful and inspired by your efforts!
If you are looking to do something different this year or are up for a challenge we would love to speak to you about how you can support. Read about some of the events below and if they have inspired you, we’d love to talk to you.
Superstars Sam and Ross recently completed the Great North Run for Open Arms Malawi dressed at Bill and Ben. Their fabulous effort was even captured by the BBC who enjoyed tracking down the duo!
Bill and Ben (Ross and Sam)
The pair reported “we were both at the wedding for some friends of ours the day before (Congrats again Jack and Celia, Mr and Mrs Williams!) so before the race I was feeling a pang of regret for the number of glasses of fizz I had had. The energy around town was really great and we were getting a lot of laughs on our outfits as we made our way to the start line, a few people came up asking for photos and some others gave us some coins to give to the charity as they thought out buckets were collection pots as well as flower pots!
They have changed the course slightly at the Great North Run to allow for better regulation of crowds due to COVID-19 and the general consensus from everyone there was that it was BRUTAL. The return journey was mostly uphill and the last 3 or so miles were particularly painful on the legs so it was a great relief to get across the finish line in the end.
We’ve both done the London marathon before and we agreed that the finish to this half was much more of an ordeal than that!
It’s a day we’re not going to forget any time soon!"
Katy's story
Katy Hughes also ran the Great North Run for Open Arms Malawi. She told us “I just ran 13.1 miles. I am not a runner. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy running but had never considered doing a half marathon before. Fitting in training between work, school runs and then the school holiday didn’t always go to plan, but I managed to fit 2 or 3 runs in most weeks. I was lucky to have an excellent training partner, Darcy our 6 year old Labrador.
It was amazing when the donations started appearing on the JustGiving page. It really motivated me. It was great to think that something I was doing would be helping vulnerable babies and children access vital care and support. I have worked for the past 20 years with children and families in the UK so supporting Open Arms Malawi was something I was keen to do.
As race day approached I did feel rather nervous. But by the time I stood at the start line, wearing the OAM top which had arrived the morning before and made it more real, the donations had reached £350 and continued to rise.
After collecting my medal, we stopped in the city for hot chocolate and I checked the total again. It was over £100 more than my initial target which was amazing. My body was wobbly and my feet were burning but it was totally worth it.”
John completes the marathon in style!
Our fabulous fundraiser John Corrie ran the London Marathon for us earlier this month. It was his first marathon and he was carrying a calf injury but he completed the course and raised almost £2,000 from his efforts. He has a strong family connection to Malawi and tells us "It was pure determination that got me over the finish line with a huge mix of emotions. Fitness wise i felt great, but my calf was in agony by this point. I was so relieved to have finished and was very proud of myself. I definitely pushed my body to the limit and knowing i was raising money for an amazing charity was quite emotional."
Lancing College clock up the miles
On Saturday 4th September 750 student from Lancing College, Sussex set off on their annual 12 mile walk across the South Downs. This popular event raised vital funds for children in Malawi from the whole Lancing Community. Lancing College have supported the work of Open Arms Malawi since the charity was established over 20 years ago and their visits to the warm heart of Africa mean that they have seen first hand the difference their work makes.
Continuing to walk all the way to Malawi
Following our Miles for Malawi 2021 event earlier this year, supporters Penny and Rob decided to continue their miles aiming to walk the entire distance between them. They raised over £1,000 for children in Malawi during the campaign and have since set up a new fundraising page as they continue to clock up the miles. Penny expects they will reach Malawi in terms of miles walked by next summer so there is still plenty of stories to come and also plenty of time left to show your support http://www.justgiving.com/Penny-Penman
Flying high!
On 1st August this year Shona Laycock took on her biggest challenge yet as she jumped out of a plane to raise money to support children in Malawi. She told us “I really enjoyed my skydive, however before I was very nervous and preferred it when the parachute opened to the free fall section. I’m really glad that I did it and would definitely do it again, maybe abroad next time. It was very beautiful seeing Cornwall and some of the beaches from a birds eye view. The fundraising is going well and I am nearing my target of £500.”
These are only a few of the events around the country that are helping to provide life changing care for children and their families in Malawi. During such a tough time for fundraising the effort of the Open Arms community is incredibly inspiring and together makes an enormous difference at this difficult time.
If you'd like to join us by taking part in an event this year we would love to hear from you. Contact us by clicking here!
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