Michelle's Chile Trek 2002

C'est moi!

Michelle Elliott, aged 29, will turn 30 whilst trekking. How cool will that be?!

Since June 2000 - PA to the Finance Director & Head of Commercial Finance of the UK&ROI Region of The Body Shop Int. PLC. (Top guys. Very supportive of both the Trek and of me - thank you David & Allan)

Part-time, mainly on the cocktail bar, at a local nightclub: Thursdays (Thanks to all the staff and 'punters' who generously donated and not always under the influence either.)

Part-time artist, occasional masseuse/reiki practictioner, re-occurring student, hopefully nice person.

I could go on, but suffice to say I've got/had fingers in lots of pies. I love learning about stuff and hate being bored, almost anything can take my interest. I've had, for my sanity's sake, to come to terms with the fact that I'm never going to be able to do EVERYTHING I want or think I should do - at the same time anyway and learn the lesson of patience. I'm getting better at sorting the wheat from the chaff, and am trying to stay on the peaks opposed to the troughs, I am enjoying this journey of life.

I registered for the Chile Trek in July 2001; I was also completing a module of an Open University Environmental Degree. This occupied a considerable amount of time with 4 assignments and a final exam in October 2001. I decided that I could not divert very much of my time to the fundraising (or the training) until the course finished.

Unfortunately, by doing this I started worrying that I had set myself a totally insurmountable task and that unless I spent more time working on the fundraising, I would not be going at all as I needed at least £1,500 to give to Mencap by the 4th of Jan 2002.

I am extremely fortunate however, that I have had, and continue to have a lot of support; from a father who was initially very anti (it came from a concern that as usual, I had bitten off more that I could chew - and if I wanted to go on 'holiday', why didn't I just book up like normal people?), a mother who is always willing to pitch in and help me out, a very supportive boss (recently bosses) and work colleagues at The Body Shop, and encouraging family and friends. Also the fact that I love meeting people and have made a lot of really first-class connections, and that I like doing lots of different things, ensures that I've got an excellent network to try for sponsorship - I just had to get my head round tapping into it.

My boss; David started the ball rolling by auctioning a football shirt at work. He ended up out-bidding our Retail Director and getting it back - bargain!!

I used various letters and sponsor forms for family, friends, neighbours, work collegues, complete strangers etc. and companies and got a great amount of donations and pledges. I got stuck on the best layout of these for ages, initially going with the Mencap standard ones, but eventually personalised them with 'my story'. The sponsor form info also became a reduced sized flyer, with the print poster on the reverse for a double-whammy. (This sort of thing included in Christmas cards works well and cuts down on postage!) Here are a couple of mine as proforma for you to adapt if you like. [sponsorship form (PDF 60k)]

I was having a mental block on actually promoting and telling people what I was doing in person, I have to thank Astrid (again) for helping me to get over that. The BMF post-event debrief in various pubs and restaurants helped too!

I slowly started to make inroads on the total. Late November, however with little over one month to go to get the minimum, I hit a brick wall and felt sick every time I thought of Chile. I only had about £700 in pledges and actual. I swallowed my pride and confided to my parents and close friends that I was struggling. To which the response was a little 'I told you so', but a lot more 'well, I'll help you' and with their support, my confidence grew and the floodgates opened, and December was a whirl of activity and banking money until unbelievably by the 4th Jan I had not only reached £1,500, I had nearly reached the minimum of £2,500 as well! I was so over the moon, I had hoped that it would happen but could hardly believe it when it did. TOTALLY AMAZING!

Fame at last! Photo shoot for the local papers at the Tone Zone: "ooh these are really heavy after about 100 reps"

I had decided to be brave and get 2 of my drawings printed, this involving using some of the precious sponsorship money towards printing costs, Bay Print of Littlehampton did me special deal and gave me credit until after Jan 2002. The gamble paid off; people were very receptive to the prints and were importantly forthcoming with cash.

This has been the first time that I have had any of my work printed and I have been so encouraged by the response and enquiries about commissions, that for the first time (and after years of my father trying to tell me) the penny has dropped that I can actually do this stuff, heck I'm versatile (and modest too!!). There are a few examples in the gallery

Although the idea of selling my work solely for my gain doesn't sit right, but giving something back to help others does, so I have other plans on the boil post-Chile.

I had people raising money and selling prints on my behalf and the momentum grew and grew, I did a real push at The Body Shop and promoted the Trek, my pictures and organised a cake sale, to which people were very generous and donated cakes - so many in fact that mum and I did and another cake sale at a weekend stall in a local market. After baking, selling and eating so many cakes over the 3 days - I felt quite sick at the mere mention of the word, but it was definitely worth it and something that I'm going to do again - although just round at work this time!

I ran a couple of quizzes at The Body Shop and got slightly silly with bets for prints and cash - some which paid off and others that back-fired but came up trumps eventually (my scary knowledge of telephone extension numbers worked, but failed on the heights of mountains - I blame the "expert" personally, but he was a real gent about it - ta luv.x). Also, a number of colleagues chose to send e-mail Christmas messages to their teams and make a donation to the Trek instead.

Then came the dressing up and parading through towns and shops, I probably just scared people into donating so I'd go away!

Three out of the four panels - just missing more of the sea and sky, but everyone needs 'Mark' the finance monkey in their day!

We had a "Changing Office Challenge" at work, to brighten up our offices and it was suggested that I could paint something. To which I said yes, but not for less than £50. We raised just over £60 and I had great fun over our quiet Christmas week, going in and painting and tropical beach scene on the back of four dowdy grey cupboards.

I've had such great response from just asking people, for instance on New Year's eve, a complete stranger, who I only know as 'Fiancé of Kim Rowden', gave me £100 over the bar at Thursdays about 12.20am.

With just under two weeks to go I ran a raffle at The Body Shop, and was very lucky and had most of the prizes donated: The Tone Zone donated one free month's unlimited membership, The Hilton Avisford Park Hotel, nr Arundel gave one night for two bed and breakfast, Body & Sole Health & Beauty Salon donated a $pound;30 voucher, Zheng Dao Lo T'ai Chi Class gave four free lessons, also bottles of booze, chocolates, plants and of course The Body Shop products!

Also a colleague, whos first born is due imminently ran a sweepstake on the sex, date, weight and time of birth. Half is going to the person with nearest correct answer (actual due date 14.03.02) and the rest to Mencap.

The Bluebell Inn - Tulip, Me, Tom Babb (landlord), and two barmaids.

The Blue Bell Inn - landlord and member of the Trundlers Golfing Society - Tom Babb, generously offered to try and help me raise funds through his pub in Emsworth. His sterling efforts, along with Stephen 'Tulip' Harwood, who was sponsored not to drink throughout February by the regulars, have raised just over £300 - FANTASTIC!!!. Photos coming soon!'

With just under 1 week to go, I held a Charity Sale at work with Product donated to me from our fabulous (yep, I'm creeping Kathy...) Product department. I had was a mixture of new, old, discontinued, gifts and accessories. I made up lots of mixed bags for a 'Lucky Dip', £1 per bag minimum 6 items and had a fantastic response.'

'I cannot believe how much the money has snowballed. Last year, I held a vision of being Chile in March, but couldn't see the path for a long time, it eventually unfolded before me into clear, wide open road. You just have to have a lot of faith.'

I have continually been amazed at the generosity of people, we all are hit by so many worthy causes and other demands for our hard earned cash, but it seems there is much truth in wisdom such as:

"Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek; and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Matthew 7:7

Dedication

to the brother I never knew, who had he not died, would have had Down's Syndrome and more than likely, would not have had a sister