Simon Kempston’s Post

In December, instead of sending Christmas cards, I am going to run the equivalent of 3 (yes three!!!!) marathons, to hopefully raise a penny or two for three charities that mean something to me because of things that have happened to friends over the last 12 months. So for those that need, that will be running 78.6 miles over the next 31 days, or around 2.54 miles a day. For those on metric, it’s 126.5 kilometres over the next 31 days or around 4.08 kilometres a day. I am going to do it in miles as there are fewer of them I think. If you are thinking of sending anyone, including me, a Christmas card, please think about making a donation to one of these (or a charity the means something to you) instead. A stamp is £1.65, plus the cost of the card, that’s just a £2.00 donation instead The charities I have chosen are Victoria’s Promise, Cruse Bereavement Support and Pancreatic Cancer UK Victoria’s Promise is a charity here dedicated to support young women through cancer and beyond. If you want to donate to them, please click here https://lnkd.in/eAGrdZu8 Pancreatic Cancer UK strive to go above and beyond for everyone affected, increasing research, support and making noise about this ruthless disease. If you want to donate to them, please click here https://lnkd.in/eTjdgAWP Cruse Bereavement Support are there to help people through what can be the most painful time in their life. If you want to donate to them, please click here https://lnkd.in/exPqXek2

Thank you, thank you, thank you all that have contributed and helped me not only reach but surpass my fundraising goals so quickly! Together we have raised: 🚴♂️ $236 for American Heart Association's 100 Mile Bike Challenge - Achieving 131% of the Fundraising Goal 🏊♂️ $200 for American Cancer Society's 10 Mile Swim Challenge - Achieving 110% of the Fundraising Goal I always like to overdeliver on client projects by smashing the paid-media result benchmarks, but this time the round of applause does not go to the Advocaczi team, the recognition goes to all of you for helping me spread awareness and putting your hard dollars to work for an incredible cause! As promised (and requested by many) from the start, I will be sharing my Endurance Challenge pacing ever week, and so far my stats are as follows: - Cycled 74.96 Miles as of June 17th so I've reached ~75% of the target in 56% of the Month, it's going great! - Swam 2 Miles as of June 17th so I've reached ~20% of the target in 56% of the Month, it's going not so great! Before everyone gets on me for the 10 Mile Swim challenge, Miami had rough storms all of last week, which limited me from getting in the water - but I promise I will reach the 10 Miles by the end of the Month ... and if anybody needs me, I'll be in the water catching up on my swim miles! PS. While we already reached the fundraising goal, that doesn't mean the giving needs to stop, so if you are able to help and contribute: the fundraising links can be found in the comment section below #charity #fundraising #justgiving

So it’s that time of year where is dust off my training gear and drive towards raising money for cancer research. Any donations would be gladly received as every little helps! The goal is to climb the height of Everest, which is 8,848m, on Snowdon, which means that I need to summit the tallest mountain in Wales at least 10 times over 3 days. I will need to cover the distance of a marathon each day, but uphill! THE CHALLENGE The goal is to climb the height of Everest: 8,848m Snowdon is 1,085m, so I need to make 10 ascents Walking uphill (and down) for 3 days Equivalent effort to running 3 marathons per day… Climbing for more than 12 hours per day Burning more than 10,000 calories per day https://lnkd.in/e7zW4XC8

Critical Project Lesson No.53  –   End of Project Review An often overlooked aspect of the project lifecycle is the end of project review. This is where all project stakeholders, client and end users come together to review the project and determine if it had been a success. This can be valuable in so many ways to fleshing out lessons learned, understanding if the benefits sought were realised to discussing future opportunities. This is rarely done as, I believe, the perspective is that the project is now in the rear view mirror and people are busy on new projects. However to pause and reflect on what was undertaken and achieved can only help for any new projects coming up in future. I took on three big challenges this year and completed them all: * Competing in a boxing match - DONE * Run the London Marathon in April - DONE * Climb Kilimanjaro - DONE It has been a tough but hugely rewarding year. So gratifying to see so much raised for MacMillan Cancer Support. So far we have raised £2,300. The JustGiving page will remain open till 1st January 2025. https://lnkd.in/eM969SBS OR https://lnkd.in/eM969SBS OR Text STEVIE24 to 70550 to make a single £5 donation. A MASSIVE thanks for any support you can give me with this. #macmillan #macmillancancersupport #macmillancancer #macmillanfundraiser #macmillancharity #boxingtraining #cancer #cancersurvivor #boxing #fighter #boxingworkout #boxingfitness #fightback #fitness #fitnessmotivation #fitnessgoals #training #change

Friday, 24 January 2025, is going to feel like a very long day. I've been a Crusaders season ticket-holder for 14 years, ever since I moved back from London. Over that period the Crusaders won 7 more titles (14 in total!), so it has been a pretty good run. They also seem to have improved off the park, becoming increasingly involved in the community and raising money for a number of different youth charities. One of the cool things they do started a few years ago, when their Academy Manager, Aaron Webb, ran 102km around Malvern and Rugby parks to raise money for the Child Cancer Foundation. Loads of people heard about it and started running with him, and it has become an annual event, getting bigger and better every year. In a fit of enthusiasm, I have signed up to be part of a big Anderson Lloyd team running in the 2025 event. Collectively we, along with loads of other teams, will be trying to run as many 1km laps as possible between 6am and 6pm. Perhaps naively, I have put myself on the block to run the full 12 hours. I have never tried a timed event like this, and I am definitely not at my fittest, so I don't know how far I will get. What I do know, is that it is going to hurt! But it is not just a running / walking / hobbling / crawling event – it is a huge day, with loads of runners, supporters, food trucks, Crusaders and Matatū team events etc. It is going to be a super fun day – so if you are around, come down to Rugby Park and get amongst it. Come and see us at the Anderson Lloyd tent, cheer us on, meet the players, even run a lap or two if you're keen. And it is also an event to raise money for the Child Cancer Foundation. The goal is for everyone running to make it around 25,000 laps, while raising $250,000. Neither of those things are easy. And one of them is actually really meaningful. So while I won't ask you to donate (as I hate doing that), if you want to chip in, you can do so here (https://lnkd.in/gaG8BYGK). *And to be clear – I checked – the Child Cancer Foundation is AGAINST child cancer. If you're on the other side of that issue, do not donate, this is not for you.

Less than 6 days till I compete in women’s singles at Hyrox F45 raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. After months of training, and a trial run competing in women’s doubles in Birmingham, the time has come! I’ll admit I’m pleased to be ‘tapering’ this week. Reducing my training to ~60% of my usual effort, has coincided with workload getting busier and allowing some space to breathe after my son having an accident getting on the train to school on Friday. Most of the time I’ve loved the training. Seeing my body transform by building strength and physical resilience. Testing and strengthing my mindset, and realising I am capable of so much more than I think I am. It has however been hard at times, fitting it in, digging deep when I could easily give up, and having weeks where I wanted to train for fun, and not monitor my stats! The biggest thing I’ve worked on though is not what you think it might be. It’s not the reps or the distance splits. It’s my breathing habits and recovery. Utilising my breath to train my respiratory, nervous, and cardiovascular systems to perform at their best, and recover quickly. Essential not just for budding athletes like me, but for anyone who wants to be happy, healthy and high performing! I can’t wait to compete and raise money for this amazing charity. I’m a little short on my target, so if anyone can spare any pennies, I’d appreciate it 🤗 . Link in the comments. #coaching #leadership #hyrox

🚨CALLING ALL CONNECTIONS🚨 As you may know, our very own Dan Wooler (Group Vice-Chairman and shareholder), is currently competing in The World’s Toughest Row 2024 – a 3,000-mile race across the Atlantic in an ocean rowing boat. Dan has taken on this incredible challenge with three friends, all from his home city of Plymouth – hence the name of their boat: the Mayflower. You can find more details about the crew and their journey on their website: www.themayflower.co.uk During the race, Dan and his fellow crew members Glynne, Paul, and Dan L row in pairs for 2 hours, then sleep for 2 hours, around the clock, 24 hours a day! The crew is now over 4 weeks into the challenge, and feedback from Dan and the team is that it’s far more brutal than they ever imagined, despite over 200 hours of preparation at sea. They’ve faced: • 2 knockdowns • Sea sickness and injuries • Giant seas • Being shut in their cabins (for safety reasons) Progress Update: So far, the crew has completed an impressive 1,813 nautical miles, with just over 973 nautical miles to go until they reach the finish line in Antigua. 🚣♂️ Dan and his crew are undertaking this immense challenge to support two incredible charities: 1️⃣ Mustard Tree, a cancer charity that supported crew member Paul during his battle with throat and tongue cancer. You can hear Paul’s story here: www.themayflower.co.uk 2️⃣ star scheme*, a charity founded by Dan to support young people and their families who’ve experienced multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or childhood traumas through rugby. Learn more about the incredible work of star* here: www.starscheme.co.uk 💡 The crew is funding the cost of the crossing themselves (approx. £120,000) so that ALL money raised goes to these two charities. Their goal is to raise £200,000, and they’ve already reached an incredible £137,000. With your support, we can help them get even closer to their target. To put this into perspective, reaching £200,000 will allow star* to support an extra 400 young people and their families next year. 📢 How you can help: • Donate: Every contribution counts! • Share this post: Spread the word to your network. • Motivate the team: They’re regularly checking donations Any donations are much appreciated. Click below to support Dan and the team: https://lnkd.in/efrjz_ZQ Please join us all @ TC Group in rallying behind Dan, Glynne, Paul, and Dan L as they push through to the finish!

My approach to fundraising is pretty straight forward: 1- Pick a charity or group that is important to you. 2- Set a challenge that aligns with the amount of support you are trying to achieve. With that in mind, below is my answer/response to the above two points. I have picked the Peace of Mind Foundation Australia. The mission of this amazing organisation is “To give support, courage and community to brain cancer patients, their carers, family and loved ones.”. Their goal is simple, help to improve quality of life and survivorship by providing services that focus on supportive care HERE and NOW. With a close friend who is living with his own brain cancer diagnosis and having seen how this is impacting not only him but his family, it was an easy decision to support the POMF. Now the challenge, well I set a large fundraising goal and as a result needed to pick an event that was going to push me beyond my limits both physically and mentally, to ensure that the challenge aligned with the support I was asking for. That brings us to the Massive Murray Paddle / 415km / 5 Days, a 415km long kayak event along the Mighty Murray River from Yarrawonga to Koondrook. Given most people (seasoned paddlers) would spend the best part of 12 months preparing for an event like this, I decided that five and a half months would have to do! Having never paddled before I went and purchased a kayak (which has since been upgraded again) and set about commencing training while learning a new (water) sport in winter! So far, the whole process has been great! challenging and demanding but rewarding at the same time. Recently as our paddling distance has been increasing the mental challenges have started to become a little more prominent, this is just making me more determined to see this through till the end and cross the finish line. With only 7 weeks left before we hit the river we are now past the point of no return (to be honest I think we passed that point when I first uttered the words, “maybe I could do this” to Amanda Wright). If you are able to support us, please click the link below and drop a donation on our page, every dollar helps so there is no amount to small (or too big 😊). Please also share the information about what we are doing far and wide across your own networks to help us spread the word and raise some much-needed funds for the amazing people at the POMF. https://lnkd.in/gxcfMftz #braincancersupport #braincancerawareness #peaceofmindfoundation #mmp415 #comfortablebeinguncomfortable #lifelikegroup #miragekayak #Fundraising #training

Today is #GivingTuesday! We're excited to amplify Stronger Than You Think, a foundation helping people in need of financial assistance for prosthetics and with water safety founded by #HelloSunshineCollective member Ali Truwit. Ali is a Para Swimmer who won two silver medals in Paris in 2024 after surviving a shark attack in 2023. Read on to learn more about Ali's story, and support Stronger Than You Think's mission directly by donating here: https://lnkd.in/eQ38he5W TURNING TRAUMA INTO HOPE with Ali Truwit "Statistically speaking, I had a better chance of being struck by lighting than I did being attacked by a shark and losing a limb. The odds of me making and medaling at the Paralympics within roughly a year of the attack and amputation were even lower. Nothing about my life over the last 18 months makes sense; nothing, except using my story to help others. For anyone going through hardship or trauma, this message is for you. I learned the hard way this last year, perhaps like you, that life can knock us down, but I also learned that we can rise back up. A big part of rising back up for me meant making meaning out of hardship by founding my nonprofit https://lnkd.in/eV5rKrU2. The foundation focuses on giving prosthetics to people who can’t afford them, supporting water safety efforts, and aiding para activities. Focusing efforts around the clear and urgent need — how shockingly expensive prosthetics are, how many preventable drownings occur a year, and how much para sports empower thousands in the disability community — has motivated me to donate my Paralympic medal earnings to the foundation. I believe knowing my 'why' and leading by example will light the path to the future where strongerthanyouthink.org is a known name and millions of people benefit from it. Fundraising is always difficult, however, and I am looking for donors to accelerate our growth. You can learn more about the foundation and how to donate at https://lnkd.in/eV5rKrU2." https://lnkd.in/erDHWt2V

Each month begins. We have no idea where it will take us. I went into August not expecting to be overwhelmed by a sense of purpose that would lead to me starting a nonprofit called Cycling On Purpose. I had no idea that I would go to Indianapolis in the middle of that month and end up brining my cousin's road bike back with me. Something that would be the catalyst for starting the nonprofit and finding a purpose. I had no idea that I would end up putting 436 miles on that bike between then and now. Entering September, I decided to participate in a fundraiser for the Children's Cancer Research Fund through the Great Cycle Challenge. I did not expect that I would exceed both my fundraising and the riding goals. I set goals for myself all the time. I participate in fundraising activities all the time and maybe raise $250 and come close to whatever exercise challenge is part of it. However, I entered September on a mission -with intention and purpose. Not only did I hit my fundraising goal of $1000, I exceeded it by 30% ($1305). Not only did I hit my riding goal of 300 miles, I exceeded it by 40% (419) Having a purpose is greater than having a passion. A purpose gets you out of bed in the morning. A purpose makes you get on a bike and ride 50 miles in 90-degree weather with three climbs - the largest and longest coming at mile 46. My cousin, Brent, whose bike I rode during this challenge, was extremely generous- especially regarding children-related charities. He was active in Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and created a nonprofit of his own to help children in Central and South America. He passed away unexpectedly from a heart condition last May, and I am inspired to continue his generosity and habit of giving- especially to causes that affect children and our youth. That's why I started Cycling On Purpose, where my focus will be creating awareness and raising money for programs supporting youth mental health challenges. As a parent, my kids' mental health is one of my biggest concerns- and fears- given the world they're growing up in is vastly different than the one I grew up in. We didn't have active shooter drills at school, fentanyl wasn't killing kids at an alarming rate, and social media wasn't destroying our self-confidence, pushing us to the brink of suicide. September was just the beginning. Next July I will be riding Brent's bike from my home in Spokane, WA to his (and my) hometown of Indianapolis, IN- nearly 2,100 miles- to raise awareness and money for this cause. I will also be dedicating the ride to Brent and naming it in his honor. His nickname was BreWar (the first three letters of his first and last name) and this event will be called the Tour de BreWar. He was a huge fan of the Tour de France, which also happens to be about the same distance as this ride. Please follow along as I get started on this journey. I've added a link tree to my social accounts in my profile.