Hello, my name is Colin Cavanagh. I am 46-years-old and work as a civil servant in Manchester. My favourite bands are Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Thunder. My favourite films are The Godfather, Lawrence of Arabia and Zulu. Nothing at all exciting about any of that, it's a very ‘Reggie Perrin’ lifestyle. But that has all changed over the past 10 months. Buying sleeping bags, walking boots, desert equipment, camel-backs, special walking/trekking clothes as well as organising charity fundraising events, and giving talks to schools. You could say I haven’t really stopped since I decided to look on the UNICEF website and see if there was something I could do.
I have always given to charity, no particular one, just whoever was asking for a donation at the time. To me putting your hand in your pocket and giving some money is the easiest thing in the world to do, and in a way, I suppose it eases your conscience that you feel like you are doing something, which don’t get me wrong you are. I was fortunate enough to be at Live Aid in 1985 and that made a huge difference and save thousands of lives, but somehow lately it hasn’t quite seemed enough. For the past few years I have debated actually doing something and then finally I did. I am a huge James Bond fan and have been fortunate to meet Sir Roger Moore and know he does a lot of work for UNICEF so I thought I’d look at their website first. The website had a section labelled 'Get Involved’ and there it was, the Trek For The Children of Jordan. Without thinking this time, should I shouldn’t I, I just applied, got the application pack, filled it in and sent it back.
Since I got accepted I haven’t really looked back, even before the walk begins it has been a life-changing experience. To help raise money I have been to schools to give talks and so I read up on the history of UNICEF and what they do. It’s so much more than I and I assume other people think. Reading and going to hear UNICEF representatives talk more in depth about the work they carry out and how UNICEF help those less fortunate then ourselves in many many different ways is uplifting. I now know UNICEF ensure any help they provide is a long term solution and not just a 'quick fix now lets move on to the next problem' they really understand what is needed and where. They ensure that any solution is correct for that situation or that country. What may have worked in one place may not work in another. They understand cultural differences which saves the precious time they have. Listening to UNICEF representatives you cannot help but have some of their passion rub off on you.
To be able to go on this trek the goal was to raise £2,600 which to anybody wanting to do this in the future is a far more difficult task than you think. The main thing is to get as many friends and relatives involved as you can from the start. Spreading the word of what you are doing is invaluable . Don’t think you have to do this alone. You will be surprised how many people come up with ideas to help and even offer to do things themselves to help raise money. Someone you know may be running a marathon and will then decide to get sponsored. Someone may run a rugby/football/cricket team who could hold a fundraising day.
It is also worthwhile getting in touch with local schools and advising them what you are doing. Offer to go and talk at the school and see if they will hold different events with the money raised going to UNICEF. You could even go back after and let them know how you got on and let them see through your photographs where the money is going and who and how it will help. Small things like a cake sale at work once a month or a Christmas/Easter raffle for a hamper all helps, and once the money starts to add up it gives you extra impetus to carry on. Write to football teams for signed shirts, restaurants for free meals, well-known high street shops for prizes.
Not everyone will say yes -- in fact, to be honest, you may well get more rejections than acceptances. You may find some don’t even respond but remember why you are doing it and don’t get despondent. Whatever you do and how you do it you will help change a child’s life forever which has to be one of the greatest personal achievements anyone of us can make. Just think there may be a child who had no future but through UNICEF and your help was able to go to school, to live without fear of persecution and through his education became a doctor. Who then in adulthood spends his life saving other lives all because you decided to raise a bit of money and spare a bit of your time. We are only here a short time, make that time worthwhile and leave you mark. John F Kennedy once said "Each time someone stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope."