Helping children with no shoes

A month or so ago I was doing my normal thing of cooking dinner whilst watching BBC iplayer on my phone when Alby came in.  There is no hiding the telly from this boy – as he once told me “the telly is my best friend”, and neither wishing to turn it off nor make for a grumpy Alby I pulled up his chair and we watched together.

George's first race

I was watching the Great British Bake Off for Sport Relief and chuckling away at the inept skills of a random mix of non-sporting celebrity bakers when they paused the kitchen fun for some harrowing scenes of underprivileged children, this time in Kenya.  The film followed the life of a street boy and when it ended Alby turned to me and said “mummy, did you know there are some children who don’t even have shoes to wear.”  A statement which came with many hand gestures and therefore I knew was serious.  And so, Alby and I decided to do something about it.  Twenty emails later and the Little Legs two mile run / cycle / walk in Richmond Park was on.

Official Richmond Park pace maker

And it was bloody brilliant if I do say so myself.  Alby and I had been fundraising at his nursery all week via a bake sale (cupcake, fudge brownie bite, chocolate chip cookie, rice crispy cake or cup of jelly anyone??) All that late night weighing, mixing and mess making paid off with over £80 being raised in just three days which I think is pretty impressive and combined with their online efforts our cute little ones pulled in just over £300 of sponsorship – go them!

Tree climbing pit stop 

We were joined by Family Kitchen, Kemp and the non-ill / travelling part of Family Hines (aka Harrison) along with Percy (of course) and Boppa and GG who kindly held up the finish line.  Bikes were mounted, starter engines revved and off they sped.  And they really did go (fuelled in part by a left over pre-race chocolate chip cookie).  Even George took part at the beginning setting the pace with his walker and getting in the way of many lycra wearing runner and cyclist.  With their super hero capes flying the kids did good.  They crossed the 1 mile finish line together, refuelled on another chocolate chip cookie and turned back to do the same again back at the start, with a bit of tree climbing and stone throwing along the way.  Goody bags were on hand at the end though we forgot to get the helium balloons out the back of my in-laws car so that was a nice surprise for them when they got back home and opened the boot.

Little champs

 Our little legs were little superstars.  I love them all.  To pieces. x

Crashed out the next day