Boom – cheesy heading!

Wow! Saturday night’s fundraising evening was incredible. Together Debbie Bowles and my wife Jen organised an evening I will never forget. One packed church hall, 3 course meal for 112 people. 1,500 raffle tickets sold (that’s a lot of folding), 12 auction prizes and too many raffle prizes to mention.

So many people donated the most incredible prizes to auction, their time, their property, their generosity. Equally the raffle prizes too. The cakes, Teresa & Jan made the most creative cakes I’ve ever seen (see photo), stunning! Thank you.

It was so humbling to share a room with so many people, all there to listen to my story, a show of strength, showing that there are so many good people in the world, willing to share what they have, in order to help me get to Russia, and kickstart my life, our lives, for Jen and I.

Naturally there’s a number that you hope to raise, but reaching nearly three times more – that blows my mind. Speechless. Saturday raised close to £15,000!!

A journo asked me the other day ‘what does the potential of this treatment mean to you?’, to which I replied – how do you put that into words? The potential to be released from this physical prison, to be granted so many of things you used to enjoy, a brighter future …hopefully with a family.

Similarly the difference everyone made on Saturday night, cannot be described. Almost guaranteeing a place in Moscow. There aren’t words.

Thank from the bottom of my heart to all that came, and equally to all those who have donated so far. Over the last four weeks since receiving my invitation, I’ve been constantly blown away by the messages and efforts from everybody. I’m an incredibly lucky man. Thank you. x