Roy Leighton and Dr. Andrew Curran - fundraising for India and the U.K.

2010-01-11T17:27:00.002Z

Hi

Sorry for the long silence it has been a crazy month since returning from India.

Anyway, we are now back and are looking forward to building links following our great adventure.

We helped raise a staggering £125,000 and it is still coming in. But that is not enough. We are in contact with a school in India to see about a long-term programme to link schools here with their community. Untill we have checked a few things out with the school we will keep our ideas under wraps. Just wanted to let you know.

We have also made a short dvd of the trip and will endeavour to pop this onto the site. If you are desperate to have a copy (perfect for assemblies, just 7 minutes) let us know and we will send (sell) you a copy.

Thanks again

Andrew and Roy xx

2009-12-04T11:23:00.003Z

Hey, we're back.

In fact we have been back a couple of weeks but a combination of technical problems, workload, lazyness, illness and the need for sleep have delayed our input. For this we are sorry.

Anyway, the trip was a blast. We had a fantasitc (and sometime traumatic) time. We met some very interesting people and have hooked up with one school that we are going to build links with (more of this anon).

But for now we just wanted to say thanks to all who sponsored the taxis. We have raised, collectively, around £125,000 and the money is still comming in.

We will write more over the comming weeks but just wanted you to know that we were alive and ready for the next challenge.

Thanks

Roy and Andrew

we are half way through

2009-11-08T17:36:00.003Z

Hallo all you out there. Sorry that we have not been in contact but we have not been able to get an internet connection as some of the locations have been very remote (have a look at www.karmaenduro.com to check out the route).

The journey is going really well and we have got some great video footage of schools along the way and some amazing photos of the landscape here.

We have had a couple of near misses with cars comming off the road and oil sumps being destroyed. But not us. We are driving very sensibly. Long, long drives. By the time we have finished we will have driven most of the length of the west coast of southern India - near;ly 2000 kilometres.
We have also adopted a primary school and already donated £50 to help them buy sports equipment for the children. We intent to donate every year to the school adn hope to form links between it and schools in the UK. It is in a tiny village in the southern indian mountains with a dirt road to serve it. The teachers were amazing bringing modern educational methods to a tiny, rural backwater. The pre-school children sang for us and we sang for them (we arent sure who actually benifited among the children but it was amazing to hear those thirteen little voices singing away like mad. In fact the teachers had to ask them to finish the song as it seemed to be an around song which had already been going on for five minutes!). We have lived rough in a packing case on the edge of a beach, and fought off scorpions (well one little one but real nasty looking) in a jungle hut.

All in all it is amazing and exciting and really brings home how unbelievably poor people are here and how little they have in the way of resources. It is a real pleasure and a privilege to be here and meet the children this is all about.

Thanks again to everyone who has supported us especially the amazing people of Earls Barton and colleagues in Alder Hey. We are still working hard out here. Keep the money coming in. We cant tell you how much the people here need it.
Roy and Andrew (the irish one)

2009-11-01T08:25:00.002Z

This is an picutre that I took a few weeks ago whilst working at a hotel in Patishall, near Wovlerhampton (I know!!!). I was born and raised in Wolverhampton and don't remember it looking like this. I woke up really early and started the day like this.

After the event I went and picked up my mother who still lives there and she told me that this was where she scattered my Dad's ashes.

I thought I would put this on the blog to help me think of home when I am looking out at the sun rise in India.

Love to all,

Roy

2009-11-01T07:08:00.001Z

Well today is the last day in the U.K. before flying off. We leave this evening.

Thanks to every one out there that have made this trip possible.

We will blog more when we are on the road.

Love and thanks

Roy

2009-10-26T18:29:00.000Z

Thanks to the genius of Emma Kilbey for this adaptation of the classic ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ hit tune.

They’ve had all their jabs, got their visas and tiger repellent
It’s four days away, and on getting to the finish, they’re hell-bent
Roy and Andy are going to drive
A knackered taxi ‘cross South In-dia
They signed up last year (they’re startin’ to regret it now...)

They’re scouting for cash, to give to fan-tastic charities
And they’ve charged you people twenty-five bucks for japatis
Roy and Andy are going to drive
A knackered taxi ‘cross South In-dia
Eat popadoms with pride, you’re helping them reach their goal

Hey Leighton and Doc, don’t you bic-ker at the wheel, now
Keep your eyes on the prize; that scenery can’t be beat – wow!
Roy and Andy are going to drive
A knackered taxi ‘cross South In-dia
Keep your fin-gers crossed, they’re speaking when they get back

Bi-son, leopards, ele-phants and deserts
Beaches, sunsets, cold beers and tummy upsets
Roy and Andy are going to drive
A knackered taxi ‘cross South In-dia
Keep windows wound down in case of that Delhi belly

Late last night, Angie heard a car door slam
As an Am-bassador taxi, took away her old man
Roy and Andy are going to drive
A knackered taxi ‘cross South In-dia
Our hearts swell with joy as we wave them on their way!

Roy and Andy are going to drive
A knackered taxi ‘cross South India...
They’ll see paradise and donate to a worthy cause!

I said they’ll see paradise and donate to a worthy cause!

2009-10-26T12:33:00.001Z

Little does Andrew know that I have taken up the trombone and will be taking this to practice.

Roy

2009-10-24T08:34:00.000+01:00

One more week and things are hotting up.

We have had a real surge of donations so thanks are in order.

Thanks to Crownhouse publishing for their very substantial donation. Amazing! Thank you.

Thanks to all the year 8 students at Wollaston School in Northamptonshire who have been doing lunchtime fundraising all week. I know that you have been working towards this week all term. A huge effort. Many thanks.

Thanks to all the teachers from the schools and conferences that Andrew and I have spoken at who have responded so generously.

Thanks to Sally (my friend) and Angie (my best friend and wife) who have put a lot of time and effort in organizing a curry fundraising night in Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, next Wednesday.

Thanks to the Headteacher, Tony Collins and the pupil council from St Mary’s in Burton Latimer. I really enjoyed meeting you for lunch and talking about the programme and thanks for your great ideas for raising cash.

Thanks to Steve Watkins the head teacher from Earls Barton Junior school for including information about the trip in the newsletter.

Finally, thanks to all those of you who whom we do not know and have just logged on and contributed.

I will be doing daily blogs and intend to get things sorted so that we can give regular updates during the trip.

Thanks again,

Roy

2009-10-09T16:37:00.002+01:00

Well it is getting on for a few weeks and due to forgetting to add £7.40 for postage my visa and passport have not arrived. I have had a real challenge trying to contact someone but finally (after two weeks of calls and emails) managed to speak to someone today. Having coughed up £7.40 they assure me it is going to be posted out today.

I hope so.

R

2009-09-27T16:17:00.003+01:00

well, I sent my passport and paperwork to be processed for my visa nearly two weeks ago and nothing has arrived. Will chase next week.

Thanks to all the kind people of Earls Barton in Northamptonshire who are preparing for a final push for fund raising. In particular thank you Sally who is promoting a curry night the wednesday before we leave. Andrew is travelling down with his guitar to sing for his supper. That should sell a few tickets.

I am suddenly aware that it is only four weeks before we go. Yikes!!

Better chase that visa first thing.

Best to all,

Roy

2009-09-21T12:05:00.000+01:00

Just coughed up some more cash for the travel insurance. Hope I will not need it.

Roy

2009-09-21T09:47:00.001+01:00

Today is international peace one day.

Have a look at the 1 minute clip on their site: www.peaceoneday.org

Have a peaceful day.

Roy

2009-09-14T14:56:00.001+01:00

A big, big thanks to Woolaston School. You are amazing and thank you.

Time is rolling by. The epic journey will be on us before you can say southern Indian mountains.

People are starting to get the message and support the work we are doing. Please we need to raise this money. It will make a difference to hundreds of children both alive in the UK and unborn in India. If you can help us please do. No need to wait. Just get started.

Thanks

2009-09-14T12:48:00.000+01:00

Thanks to all the staff at Wollaston school not only for being such an enthusiastic and engaging audience but also for inviting me to address the year 8’s to talk about the trip. I am delighted that you are taking this on a fund raising activity and just wanted you to know that both Andrew and I appreciate your support.

If there are any other schools out there in the process of generating income for the trip let us know how things are going.

Best wishes

Roy

2009-09-02T11:55:00.000+01:00

So hi,

Finally cleared the desks, got my sleeves rolled up and here I am blogging the Great Taxi Run.

For anyone who is reading this and doesn’t know my job is as a paediatric neurologist. I spend my working life looking after exactly the children Roy and myself are raising funds for. And they need it. That’s why I am giving up 2 weeks of annual leave to raise money for the two charities that this is about. The Rainbow Trust is an amazing organisation. When a child is diagnosed with a terminal illness these guys swing into gear to support the family and siblings through the most appalling time of their lives. And they need it. I have done some very detailed research into brain injury in children and we know that families can use up their entire savings within 2 months of diagnosis what with time in hospital, time off work, etc. So this is an extraordinarily important charity to support. The Unicef India charity is trying to prevent AIDs in children. AIDs in children is a relentless, brain destroying process that gradually turns the child from a hale and healthy little one to a wheelchair bound invalid to death. It is relentless. Modern medicines make some difference but often very little. The trick here is to stop the child getting it in the first place. And that is what UNICEF India is about.

These are about the most worthwhile things anyone could donate to. Please help Roy and myself raise this one. Press the donate button. Now!

2009-08-27T11:20:00.001+01:00

Sick children have delayed the making of the video. I think they have been working too hard.

Expect a short presentation sometime next week.

Thanks

Roy

2009-08-24T11:30:00.002+01:00

Sorry, for the long-time no speak. I have been away on holiday and we have had a few family challenges in the shape of a poorly 80 year old mom (no much better).

Today I made my final payment for the trip. We are still very short of our total and I have paid my bit from our family savings. I hope that over the comming months will generate a few quid to be able to repay some if not all of the required £5995 back into the family funds.

We are also behind in the mini-video appeal for YouTube although my daughter's have been working on scripts and dance rountines but we are yet to put it all on tape. Hopefully this will be sorted by the end of the week.

Watch this space and thanks

Roy

2009-08-04T22:22:00.001+01:00

Well, it took me an hour and a half and there was a dodgy moment when the system did not want to take my payment and I had to log in again but my visa application is complete.

Lily, Ellie and Phoebe have sorted their script out and I have been playing with the technology ready to prepare a short promotional video for the blog/YouTube. It is Ellie’s birthday tomorrow (she will be 11) so we will film on Friday.

Roy

2009-07-27T12:29:00.001+01:00

Back from the gym. The knee was a little sore to start but by the end of the workout it felt great.

Roy

2009-07-25T15:59:00.001+01:00

As I am off on a family day out tomorrow I went to the gym today to keep the training going. I have no desire to become obsessive so three or four times a week should be enough. It was great. I am really feeling my muscles and this is a good feeling. Not only does my body feel alive so does my mind.

I am now in my office doing a long awaited task of decluttering and organising files. Not my favourite of activities but one that I find myself quite happy to do. Is this physical challenge raising my spirits and making my approach to the more mundane more manageable and even enjoyable? I do hope so.

Off to the beach for a day tomorrow with the girls, Mrs L, Mika (the dog) and friends. More next week.

Roy

2009-07-24T12:23:00.001+01:00

I am now training in earnest and would like thank Vivien for her excruciating massage yesterday and painful (yet pleasurable) reintroduction to some of the more challenging pieces of equipment at the local gym. I will be there, following her very strict regime, three times a week to get the thigh muscles back in play.

I would also like to thank Dr David George (very clever man who has worked with gifted and talented children for hundreds of years) not only for a very pleasant lunch on Monday but for the name of a great Tai Chi teacher who runs programmes just ten minutes from my house. I had my first session yesterday with Bob (aforementioned Tai Chi teacher) and the comparison between his soft power techniques and the violent pummelling of the relentless hard power Vivien was very much a bit of Yang to her Ying. Or do I mean Ying to her Yang? Either way everything is in place to get me to peak fitness. Back now to the challenge of fund raising. Still quite a gap between what we have an what we need so please tell your friends.

Thanks

Roy

2009-07-22T07:22:00.001+01:00

A very public thank you to Emma who has supplied advice and contact details for fine people who can help get my knee (and the rest of my body) back to full fitness for the trip. I really appreciate your input Emma and am on the case.

Thanks

Roy

2009-07-12T19:26:00.002+01:00

Thanks to all the teachers at the PSHE Education Keeping it Active conference last Thursday in Derby for their very positive commentss and support. It is really appreciated.

Thanks again. Keep the cash comming.

Roy

2009-07-12T19:24:00.001+01:00

Have added a few things to the blog to make it more relevant. Elephants, charity logo’s etc. Thanks Emma and Ian for your input. Andrew and I will continue to refine and keep the blog up to date.

We are going to make the site even more school friendly by dropping in interesting, educational or just plain strange facts for your information and edutainment.

To all the schools now logging in please post some questions on the site and Andrew and I will do our best to answer them.

Thanks to all.

Roy

2009-07-10T13:53:00.001+01:00

Hmmm. I hurt my knee about 18 months ago and thought it had all been sorted. I have started training to get myself fit for the drive and my knee has flared up again. Have sought professional advice and have been told I need to build up the muscles around the knee otherwise driving might be a bit of a pain. Send good vibes.