They Called Him Ryan...

A quick introduction about who I am and what all this Skanking Werewolf stuff is. Firstly, I'm Ryan and I will be taking part in the Thames Path Challenge 2013 to raise a little bit of money for Save The Children. I'll get onto why I chose that charity but first, Skanking Werewolves.

The Skanking Werewolves are the team myself and a friend (only one so far (cheers Faye), but it's early days) have made as an incentive to train properly and actually turn up to the event! The idea for a team was a good one, but the name grew from an organic Facebook conversation that I will copy paste here...

RW: OI! When are you signing up to the 50km walk thing? I'm raising money for Save the Children but I won't be signing up until I get paid next month.

FB: Next month pay day as well, I'm doing the British lung foundation lol ooo I'm excited!x

RW: It's ages away. Might ask if anybody else wants to do it so I can kick more asses.

FB: Haha! Do it. X

RW:Fine, but if nobody else is up for it then I'll blame you.

FB: Haha blame me all you like, we're way cooler then anyone else anyway x

RW:Need a team name though.

FB: Faye's team has a nice ring to it

RW:Nope. I like 'Werewolves of London'

Or 'Walk and Skank'

FB: Hmmm werewolves skank?

RW: Deal

FB: Haha love it! X

RW: Or Skanking Werewolves

FB: Yer that sounds better! Haha

RW: Righto, Skanking Werewolves it is.


Gripping stuff </sarcasm>, but it is a cool name all the same.

So, Save The Children are a charity I have known for a little while but really got to know when I was travelling Australia and happened to do a few weeks 'chugging' in Sydney. The charity I was raising funds on the street for was... yep, Save The Children! During my short time trying and often failing to get some money for StC I realised that some of the programs were really good. They gave the option to donate to specific plans so if anybody disliked the idea of sending their donation abroad, there was a program for Australian kids, but the real kicker (and possible donation killer) for me was that they are not affiliated to any religion (unlike the likes of Plan or Christian Aid) so they help out anyone that needs help.

Another point was the lack of child sponsorship, which always sounded weird to me, how can you sponsor one child suffering from the effects of a bloody civil war and not help the child sitting next to him? StC go for the 'community support' style, improving the lives of all those around the children so they have a better chance of continuing to improve their lives.

I'll update more later, but if you want to start donating you can click here http://www.justgiving.com/RyanWhitwell or text RYTL85 and your donation of £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070 (if you're in the UK).

I will ask Faye to write an introduction too so our supporters can get to know who is representing their donations a bit better!

Thanks in advance and I'll try to keep the blog going with all sorts of updates about training and what Save the Children are up to and all that stuff! Be excellent to each other!