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Little girl suffered 90% burns. Charity swim? Email help?
rach1 · 04/07/2003 18:18
Would anyone be interested in helping me raise money for a little girl who suffered 90% burns in a house fire?
The Charity: TerriCalvesbert was nearly two when in 1998 a fire burnt down her house. She suffered 90% burns. She lost hands, toes, ears, nose and of course nearly all of her skin. Her story was featured on a one hour documentary aired on ITV on 9th June. It is one of the most moving pieces of television I have ever seen.
Terri has had 16 operations in the last 3 years and will have operations every year for the rest of her life. Despite what she has suffered - and will suffer - Terri's character, her impishness, chirpness, her spirit, call it what you will, came across in an extraordinary fashion. Terri's father Paul is no less remarkable. His wife left the family not long after the fire - her burning cigarette was responsible for the fire and her guilt caused her deep trauma. She too is a victim. So Paul found himself as a single dad - and he was all Terri had. Paul would clean up at the 'devoted, courageous fathers' Oscars.
The Terri Calvesbert Trust was set up by the local Ipswich paper The Evening Star. They aimed to raise £5,000. To date they have raised £150,000, some 4+ years on. This is nowhere near enough for what Terri will require in the years ahead - including paying for private plastic surgery to avoid her waiting in queues. She has a very painful future ahead.
The Swim; Three of us (Rob, Mark, Jeremy) will be swimming a distance equivalent to the English Channel ? 22 miles or 35kms ? in the Harbour Club pool. We will swim one km on, two km off etc over a 12 hour period. We are rank amateurs so it won?t be a doddle. At the same time, 35 members of my local health club will be participating in a swim, each swimming one km. On the same day, similar swims (the three people version) will be taking place in Sydney and Perth in Australia. I have roped in brothers-in-law and a few friends.
How you could help
- Are you a swimmer? Would you be interested in being involved in a similar swim - of 3, 5, 10 etc people. Doesnt have to be just 3 who swim the distance. It would be great if we could get other "English Channel Swims (but warmer)" going in other cities around the world. I'd love to hear from you wherever you are.
- Would you be prepared to send an email (irrespective of whether you swim or not ie this is how the majority of people may be best able to help) to your network of people to raise money? When I sent an email to 50 people in May (for a 50 mile 'Round Surrey Ride' to raise money for CARE Intl - i do a charity effort every 6 months or so - £600 came in in 10 minutes. £2000 in total. So simple as only took me ten mins to sort out email. I have a draft of an email i can send that people can use as they see fit. Very simple fundraising, no rattling of tins etc. [people then send you cheques payable to Terri Calvesbert Trust - in this case - which are then forwarded to the Trust etc. So all v v easy.]
ITV and four other companies have very kindly organised, free of charge, for numerous VHS copies and 400 DVDs of the programme to be cut. If you missed the programme but would like to see it let me know and I will send you one.
If you would be interested in participating in the swim, and/or raising some money/sending an email, I?d love to hear from you.
Rob Mather
Tel: 020 7371 8744
Mob: 07711 263 725
Email: [email protected]
Further information:
About the programme: www.angliatv.co.uk/coverstory/livingdoll.html
About Terri?s Trust: www.eveningstar.co.uk/Content/features/terri/TerriHome.asp
Interesting emails from people who saw the programme. Reading 3-4, you get the impact: www.angliatv.co.uk/coverstory/virtual/index.shtml
rach1 · 07/07/2003 10:11
bunny2, thnaks, v kind. probably send the cheque to rhubarb (rhubarb - that ok?) WHEN all is organised...dont send cheques yet. might then keep all money raised via mumsnet help in one place and we can put a figure to it. will happily cite mumsnet.com et al as avenue that contributed
Rhubarb · 07/07/2003 15:07
No probs so long as you don't put my name on them Bunny2! I'll be more than happy to collect any donations, I think you make them payable to the Terri Calvesbert Trust, is that right Rob? And should anyone want my address, email me at [email protected] and I'll pass it on.
rach1 · 07/07/2003 17:59
thanks thomcat. The cheques should be made payable to The Terri Calvesbert Trust. Rhubarb has kindly volunteered to be collector-in-chief for mumsnetters' donations (and over next x months these will be collated by rhubarb and sent directly to the Trust). rhubarb, i presume people contact you somehow for your address but i will leave that with you. I have spoken with Rachel (mumsnet founder) and i hope she will post a message here soon confirming that this is all above aboard - because if i was thinking of donating i would want to be bloody sure it was genuine and that's the best i can think to confirm this is the case here. The reason i am not suggesting cheques sent directly to the Trust is this allows a total to be put on the mumsnetter donation - both directly and via any swims organised by mumsnetters, and that can be promoted (via quite significant press coverage that is likely to surround the swims) for the benefit of mumsnet. rob
rach1 · 07/07/2003 18:36
this is text i added to the other place this thread is found (media/non-member requests...although i am now a paid up subscriber hence it appears here) and it's releavnt to have this text here too:
Yes, this is a bona fide charity raising swim. I will be leaving all details of our activities with the lady at the Ipswich Evening Star (Geraldine Thompson, tel: 01473 230023) who coordinates cheque receipts so that anyone who wants to cross-check, can. As a result of the response we have had from people wanting to organise their own swims we are paying attention to who is getting involved so that our efforts are not piggy-backed by the less scrupulous in the community who might be looking to line their own pockets.
My thanks to the first mumsnetter who has contacted me already. I hope there may be others. My contact details are at the bottom of the first email should anyone wish to call me directly.
Rob
Rhubarb · 08/07/2003 17:43
Just to remind people to email me at [email protected] for my address. This would be great publicity for Mumsnet so please dig deep folks. It would also make a huge difference to that little girls life, and we can all feel contribute to the 'Proud' thread, patting ourselves on the back!
rach1 · 09/07/2003 15:02
Adrian Moorehouse - our most recent olympic gold medal winning swimmer - is raising a team to join our swim effort. Will add further significant pr coverage to the swims on 6th dec, so yes, if it is possible to get a wave of interest going from musnetters, will do mumsnet.com no harm at all in the pr coverage. rob
Rhubarb · 10/07/2003 16:28
Just wanted to thank those Mumsnetters who have been in touch with me, and to keep this thread going for those who may not have seen it yet. Just a small donation could make a huge difference here and give Mumsnet some added publicity!
My email again is [email protected]
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