Packed and ready to go!!!

I'm all packed and ready to go! Told you it would all come together in the end :) 
Just packing my hand luggage then I will be done!! 

Tily my cat wasn't so impressed when I told her I was leaving her for a year... She was even more unimpressed when I told her that my sister will be looking after her. She might even have to start hunting her own food!! 

'The Last Supper'

So this is it... my last evening at home with my family before I jet off 5,600 miles south to South Africa.  Downstairs my 'Last Supper' is being prepared and I will soon be dining with my 5 disciples (well Mum, Keith, Karin, Poppy & Skye, I don't think any of them qualify as disciples, but close enough).  My favourite has been made, roast beef and all the timings... oh how I am going to miss my family dinners! 
After a frantic day of getting last bits together and lying all my clothes across the bedroom floor, I am proud of say that I still haven't packed! That's right... my plane leaves in 22 hours and not a single thing is in my rucksack.  My organisation skills worry me sometimes! However I do have everything ready to go into my bag in the morning so it's not all bad news! 
I can't quite believe that tomorrow is THE DAY! The last 10 months has gone so quick with regards to Project Trust, an amazing selection course last October, waiting for letter telling me whether i got a place, parents meeting in London, mid-May placement letter then a change of country from Malaysia to South Africa, training where I meet the amazing people I will be spending the next year with... and now I am here, one sleep until I depart for South Africa!!
Last Sunday I had my leavers party, which was so lovely to see all my friends before I leave but made me realise how many amazing people I am leaving behind for a year.  I wish everyone of them the best in whatever they are doing over the next year... I will certainly miss you!  However on this next adventure in my life, I will meet some incredible people and learn a whole new way of life. 
Leaving my family too will be difficult, I have never been away from home longer than 4 weeks and always relied on them.. but I guess this is a part of growing up and starting my own adventure.

Well I think that's it from me at the moment, I may possibly blog tomorrow morning, if not I will update you all when I arrive in Johannesburg!! 

Love to you all. Peace Out.

Sally xx

Only one week to go now!

Wow! It has all come around so quickly! 10 months ago I was on selection and now it's only 7 days till I leave the country for a year.

So this time next week I will have been on the plane for about 2 hours, with about another 11 hours till I arrive in Johannesburg.  Upon arrival in Johannesburg we will get straight into orientation/ training.  Not sure what this will involve, but the aim is to settle into our new country and get used to the culture that will become our home for a year.

As many may know, I am working in a children's home called Bethany. Bethany Home is a place of safety for abandoned, abused and neglected children from new-born to 6 years of age.  The home is situated in Umtata (Mthatha) in the Eastern Cape.  This cape is the poorest within South Africa.
From doing my own research, the home looks fantastics but will of course be challenging in many different ways.  Although nervous, I am very excited to get started in the home and getting to know the children.
Leading up to my departure, I have been saying my goodbyes to everyone, which is getting emotional but knowing I have an amazing adventure ahead of me is getting me though.


Thank you to everyone who have helped get me to this point!!

Sally xxx

THANK YOU!

I would just like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to sponsor me.  I really really appreciated it!!


If you would like to sponsor me then please visit my Virgin Money Giving Page at www.virginmoneygiving.com/sallystone


or see below on other ways to sponsor. 


No matter how big or small, all will be greatly received.


Thank you :) xx

Off to the library!

So yesterday I ventured to the local library (which doesn't happen often) to find address so I can get my letter out to charitable trusts to hopefully receive some more sponsorship. 
I was very lucky in that my step mum, Anthea, came along to help me, which I was very grateful for!  All in all we were there for about three hours!  Another trip will have to be made soon because we only got to 'M' in the charitable trusts directory.


So things seem to be coming together now as I have the letters written and nearly ready to post... Lets hope I get some positive feed back :) 


xx

How to donate

Hey everyone, 
If you want to donate any money towards my year aboard then you can do it in a few ways.
You can sponsor me through my Virgin Money Giving Page, which is quick and really easy! It is also very safe!  The web address is:
virginmoneygiving.com/sallystone


Or you can send me a cheque personally to my address which is:
Sally Stone
16 Norman Road, 
Sutton,
Surrey, 
SM1 2TA
If you do it this way, please make the cheque out to 'Project Trust'


Or if you wish to send your cheque straight to Project Trust themselves then the address is:

The Hebridean Centre,

Isle of Coll,

Argyll,

PA78 6TE

UK

HOWEVER if you do it this way, PLEASE make sure you put my name (Sally Stone) on the back of the cheque so they can identify who the money is for! 

However big or small your donation is, it will be greatly appreciated by myself and more importantly the people who the money will be helping in Malaysia.

Thank you very much,

Sally x

Happy New Year!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!
Hi guys, hope you all had a great christmas and a happy new year.
I've got loads planned for fundraising this new year and I'm hoping all of you will help and get involved.
Family and friends have been really generous already and I've managed to get £1,500 which is 30% of my total target of £5000.

I have given out money tins to family and friends to collect any loose change they have lying around which I'm hoping will be a great help towards my fund.
I am also planning to do a skydive in April!! I must be mad but will be great.  It will also give me a chance to raise awareness of my trip and the reason I am going away to help developing communities.

Other plans I have are doing cake sales at my school, bag packing at a supermarket, sending letters to charitable trusts, and other little events!
I'll also be setting up a Virgin Money Giving Page so you can donate money if you wish!

Thanks for taking time to read this and hope you all have a great new year!!