After a much needed break over Easter we came back to Oxford to find out we have a date for the SDR assessment in Bristol…Friday 23rd June. So that gives us 2 months to get him as strong as possible. Should they feel he is ready, the surgery could be as early as August/September…

What does this mean?
After lots of jumble/nearly new sales, mud runs, cake sales etc etc we have reached over half way, we are now at £43,000!

With many events planned for May and June, dare we hope to reach the £60,000 mark by August? If the operation does go ahead then this would mean we have enough to cover that and the first year or year and a half of physio etc.

Thankfully we know of events friends and family are planning to do in September / October for Thomas, so that will help keep the momentum going should we not be able to do things ourselves – and help get us to our target of £75,000. We shall see. One step at a time. It’s amazing to think we have managed to raise this amount in what, 8 months. Amazing!

So, what is coming up:

Jonny Lindsay, Brian’s old school friend, is running a number of marathons, one being an ultra-marathon from Dublin to Belfast.

Greene’s College Students (where I work occasionally), are doing a sponsored 5km run around University Parks on May 6th

Cousins Mark and Catherine have been training hard for their 10k in Bristol on May 7th and have already raised over £1,200!

An ex colleague from Cheney has been doing a sponsored slim for the last 3 months and has raised £469 so far but with a few weeks left may well get to £500.

My cousin Christine, bless her, is organising a second event for Thomas (she and her sister Mandy were the ones who started us off back in August), this time she is doing a fashion show!

A dear friend who I was honoured to volunteer with in Namibia, Sue, is getting married in the Lakes at the end of the month and has asked that friends and family donate to our fund rather than buy them wedding presents! I know, incredible isn’t it. This whole fundraising thing is just, well, so humbling!

As for June… there are cycle rides being planned, sponsored coastal walks, sports days, colour runs and more jumble sales/ tombolas no doubt!

Crazy! Beautiful! Exhausting.

Thank you for staying with us on this journey – it’s a roller coaster for sure.
with love,
nicci and brian and thomas and dylan xx