Supporting Edward’s Trust: A Special Challenge in 2020

A Charity Close to Our Hearts

Back in October 2020, we found ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic. Like many organisations, a charity that is very dear to us—Edward’s Trust—was severely impacted due to the restrictions on organised events.

Edward’s Trust, a bereavement charity that supports families who have lost a child, and children who have lost a parent, was celebrating an incredible milestone: 31 years of making a difference. Every penny donated to them truly counts towards providing vital support.

A Personal Connection

When I first started supporting Edward’s Trust, I wasn’t aware that an old childhood neighbour had actually turned to them for help after the tragic loss of her husband. Finding this out made my connection to the charity even stronger and gave me extra motivation to help in any way I could.

The 31-Day Challenge

To mark their 31st anniversary, Edward’s Trust launched a campaign asking supporters to complete 31 “somethings” over the 31 days of October. Without much hesitation—and with very little idea of what I was going to do—I volunteered!

Being keen on running, enjoying a pint, watching football, and listening to live music, I decided these would be the foundation of my activities. However, once you mention to your sponsors what you’re not good at… well, let’s just say some unexpected challenges came my way!

Planning the Activities

With the help of my amazing wife Julie, as well as friends and colleagues from my networking groups, we pulled together a list of activities—always mindful of social distancing rules at the time. Some activities had photos, others were simply great memories. Among the challenges were:

Fitness Fun: Hula hooping, belly dancing, yoga, Pilates, a HIIT workout session, a 10K run, Zumba (definitely not my favourite!).

Creative Challenges: Baking, painting stones, pumpkin carving.

Quirky Tasks: Drinking a pint as fast as possible, litter picking with the running group, walking a neighbour’s dog (we don’t own one!), feeding a neighbour’s cat.

Unusual Skills: Walking on stilts, trying karate, wearing a rival football team’s shirt.

Everyday Adventures: Running back from dropping off the car for its MOT, walking to collect farm-fresh eggs, mowing the lawn, cutting back an overgrown tree.

A Bit of Fun: Watching a live band while drinking a pint (yes, multitasking at its best!).

Community Support

I was overwhelmed by the incredible support from friends, neighbours, and colleagues—whether it was financial donations, creative activity suggestions, or even joining me in the activities themselves.

Thanks to everyone’s generosity and encouragement, I am proud to say that **we raised an amazing £1,450** for Edward’s Trust!

How You Can Help

If you would like to support the fantastic work that Edward’s Trust does for bereaved families, please consider making a donation.