In sickness and in health To love and to cherish To run a 10K race on your behalf when your knee packs in… OK, the last line probably wasn’t in Cian Stavers’ wedding vow – but now, 18 years later, her commitment and devotion to husband Mark is clear as she prepares to step into […]
Category: Viva fundraising
Confessions of a fundraiser
BY LIZ CROSS “My family have a reputation for their crazy parties.” Those were my confident words a year ago when I made a New Year’s resolution to fundraise for Viva’s work with vulnerable children. The idea spiralled from there – I recruited my colleague Paul to fundraise too and together we asked Viva’s supporters […]
The perfect birthday present
BY ANDREW DUBOCK 1977: a momentous year that saw Queen Elizabeth II celebrating 25 years on the throne, Elvis Presley dying aged only 42, the first Star Wars film released at the cinema earning a total of $775 million worldwide, and Virginia Wade winning the Ladies Singles’ title at Wimbledon 4–6, 6–3, 6–1 (right). And […]
Sink or swim!
BY PAUL HATCHER After three months of training – largely consisting of me ‘re-learning’ how to swim the front crawl properly – it was finally time to literally take the plunge. I stood on the hill next to my wife, simply staring out towards the lake at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, shocked at the sheer […]
Hong Kong Runners cross the line again!
Thirty-three people ran the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon races last Sunday (12 February) to raise money for Viva’s life-changing work with vulnerable children. Well done to all of the runners for taking part in the three different race categories and for raising the profile of Viva in their distinctive blue t-shirts, spurred on by […]
What’s your Viva Goal in 2017?
BY PAUL HATCHER & LIZ CROSS It’s that time of year when many of us make resolutions for ourselves – this New Year will you join us in making a resolution for children at risk? Over the coming year, we’ve both committed to personally raising funds for Viva’s life-giving work with children. Paul’s goal is […]
Baking to help girls go back to school
Hello, I’m Marnie & I’m 9, I have a sister called Brooke who is 5. We want to tell you about our cake sale this September: Last year Mum & I baked to raise money for Viva’s GEC project and my church loved it. I remember a certain person who asked “when are you going […]
Turkey sandwiches, balloon antlers and fairy lights: Christmas comes early in Grove
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon in July, so why could the strains of ‘Jingle Bells’ be heard drifting across the field? Even more bizarrely, why were people lounging around on picnic blankets and humming along to ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’ whilst eating turkey and cranberry sandwiches and mince pies?