50 Challenges for 50

Hi. I'm Kirstie and I have been tasked with completing 50 challenges in support of SAMARITANS OF HORSHAM AND CRAWLEY. Please know every donation will make such a difference, so a huge thank you in advance for your contribution, it means such a lot to me.

Last year I completed the Three Peaks over 3 days to support my local branch. This year, I would like to do something a bit different. Coincidentally.....I will be celebrating my 50th birthday very (very) soon, and our wonderful branch is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year - so this was just too good an opportunity to miss! So, with the help of all the lovely branch volunteers, they have come up with a fantastic list of 50 challenges for me to complete throughout 2023!

The challenges they have come up with are brilliant - and many will require considerable effort, ranging from silly, adventurous and creative. However, I am more than up for the challenge! I will be funding every challenge myself, so all money I raise will go back to our lovely branch.

Having all our branch volunteers onboard makes this challenge so much more meaningful, it is wonderful to have the team being a part of it all - in their own branch's 50th year!

I have been volunteering with the wonderful team at Horsham and Crawley for just over a year - and it is the best decision I have ever made. The people I have met at the branch are just incredible, giving so much of their own time for this invaluable cause. The kindness and support they show to both our listeners and other Samaritans in the branch is truly humbling - and my goodness, what an incredible service it is that they provide. Both on the phone and in the community, they are always there to provide a listening ear for when someone feels no one is hearing them, and feel they have no one else to turn to. Everyone needs someone. Samaritans are there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Every 7 seconds, Samaritans answer a call for help......

I feel extremely privileged to be part of this amazing organisation, and to belong to the most special team I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

So, without further ado.......here are my challenges as chosen by my fellow volunteers........:-)

1. Complete a park run - DONE

2. Do a loop the loop in a plane - to do when weather improves! ROLL OVER DONE

3. Visit St Stephen Walbrook church in London where our founder Chad Varah started Samaritans and take a photo of the original phone that is on display there. - DONE

4. Climb the 193 steps at Covent Garden tube station - DONE

5. Visit and do a listening shift at our twin branch in Aberdeen - DONE

6. Walk Hadrians Wall - DONE

7. Learn to juggle - DONE

8. Do a wild swim - DONE

9. Eat only foods beginning with K for one day, and B for another - DONE

10. Ride a camel -DONE

11. Eat vegan food only, once a week for the year - DONE

12. Achieve 10k steps every day for the year - DONE

13. Plant bee friendly plants - DONE

14. Learn to solve a Rubiks Cube - DONE

15. Learn a magic trick - DONE

16. Learn to crochet - DONE

17. Read a book a month for a year - DONE

18. Do the ice bucket challenge - DONE

19. Ride a zip wire - BOOKED

20. Walk across 50 different bridges – representing the obstacles our callers face - DONE

21. Try 50 different cocktails and mocktails - DONE

22. Build a cracker house - DONE

23. Learn an instrument - DONE

24. Get 50 volunteers to sign up to Easyfundraising - DONE

25. Get involved in Postcrossing - DONE

26. Only eat Special K for 24 hours - DONE

27. Ride in a glider - DONE

28. Do a random act of kindness every day for a month at 12.54 - DONE

29. Give blood - DONE

30. Eat a satsuma without using your hands - DONE

31. Don’t speak for one day - DONE

32. Eat a vindaloo curry - DONE

33. Do a weekly shop in fancy dress - DONE

34. Swim in the sea in March - DONE

35. Paint or draw a self portrait of me completing a challenge - DONE

36. Submit my weekly tip/ recommendation to the Sams newsletter for the year – podcast/ recipe/ music/ book/ place to visit etc. - DONE

37. Wear clothing chosen by the branch for my listening shifts for a month - DONE

38. Don’t smile for 50 minutes - DONE

39. Work behind the bar at the Beer Festival - DONE

40. Join Samaritans Swimathon - DONE

41. Do a listening shift, then walk from Horsham branch to Worthing branch - DONE

42. Grow vegetables from seed - DONE

43. Make a pot from clay - DONE

44. Run 50 miles during the year DONE

45. Take up tap dancing - DONE

46. Do 5 hours on a cross trainer - DONE

47. Practice meditation for 50 days - DONE

48. Attend a music festival - DONE

49. Learn sign language - DONE

50. Arrive at the branch for a listening shift by tractor! - DONE

What do you think?? It's definitely going to be a challenge - but lots of fun too! And there is no doubt I need to be incredibly organised!!

Thank you for reading and of course, for your support, which is so very much appreciated.

Kirstie

xxx