So, last September I was a ambassador for the charity, WaterAid. I headed to Cardiff and took part in a 6.2 mile walk around Cardiff bay and did some live social media reporting en route. It was a jolly good day, all the walkers were in great form and I took some photos along the way, including this one.
Well, it's only gone and won a prize!
I got a lovely email from WaterAid saying I've won £100 voucher from Kathmandu. Whoop!
But what to choose?! After a long time on their website looking through all they have to offer I decided to go for.... a new suitcase!
Earlier this year I actually managed to lose a suitcase. I have no idea how. It was at home, then it wasn't. I can't think what I've done with it and it was one of my favourites too.
But, now I have a new one! And in red too.
Hybrid Trolley v2
I've got a couple of short trips coming up, so I will put my new bag on a road test. Where am I going? I shall say no more for now other than hwyl fawr and addio ;)
September was undoubtedly my busiest month this year and I want to capture a record of it just in case my memory fades on me.
A lot of them deserve their own blog posts really, and I'd like to think I'll go back and cover some of them in more detail but hey, it's October already. A brand new month to fill!
There were lots of highlights and here are a few of them.
I also managed to meet up with my Tweety Friends before the big walk.
I met up with @getgood and we went to a cool bar that had beds!
And of course I was drawn to this Tweety Friend cushion. Twitter mad? Me? ;)
And I finally got to meet a long time twitter friend Elizabeth @realityminus3 We enjoyed a hearty Wagamam's dinner, drinks and a great chat! A lovely evening.
I got an invite for a trip along Birmingham's canals from BCU's Press Office. It was like a net working event, only on a canal boat, with drinkies and nibbles. Despite living in Birmingham for quite a while now, I'd only ever been on one canal boat trip many years ago, so I thought it time for another one. It was a lovely evening, with lots of new and interesting people to meet such a media peeps and lecturers.
It was a huge conference with a lot of key note talks to cover and speakers to interview. It was interesting to see how much output, as a team, we were able to deliver across all the mediums.
A post conference glass of wine with @getgood (she pops up everywhere!) and @clarewhite. Belles of social media reporting ;)
Long weekend in Palma with my mum
Three nights away with my mum @createdineire and taking on the Palma Live Challenge set by bmibaby. I love these types of social media and travel collaborations. bmibaby asked their friends and followers what I should see in Palma and set my itinerary. I reported live on my adventure. I've gathered all my updates in one handy blog post here, and my Palma review is live on bmibaby's blog too!
Bed Jumping in the bloggers room at @horizonte24 hotel. It's a must! ;)
Metapod Kaleidoscope Course - Day 1 of 5 days
This is a course run by Fierce Earth and Helga Henry is my mentor! It's a bit of a change to have a mentor (I like it!) as it's normally me doing mini mentoring sessions with folks that ask for my help.
It’s aimed at senior leaders in selected businesses to focus on commercial skills and business growth in a way that is congruent with your artistic and cultural development.
It's named Kaleidoscope as it helps to change your perception/view of y our business. I think that's right. Anyway, it's certainly worked after only 1 day of the 5 day course (there's 2 x 2 days coming up in November). It's not very often I talk 'business' and plans with anyone. I have an idea, figure out what I want, make a plan, and go for it, very generally speaking.
Already I can feel my perspective changing, and I must admit, it feels a little unsettling. It's thrown me a little. Before the course I had a set road ahead, and now I'm questioning it (which isn't a bad thing at all); Am I
on the right road? Am I working as efficiently towards my goals as I thought? Is there another way, a better way? What can I remove from my life/business? What's superfluous? What can I add? And although I do feel a little unsettled, I'm going with it, accepting these new feelings, being open to change and getting excited about what will happen next!
We got crafy on the course. Always a winner!
Whoops, I've run out of blogging steam tonight! I think I'm going to have to break this post up in to a few parts. There's a lot of pack in! :)
It's an honour to be asked to be a Wateraid Ambassador for their Coast Along event this Saturday 10th September. Coast Along for WaterAid is WaterAid’s annual flagship walking event!
I'm going to be walking for water, and of course I'd like you to join me in my walk. Phone reception allowing, I'll be tweeting, taking photos and videos along my 6.2 mile route!
You can follow my adventures @karenstrunks and keep updated with @wateraid and the hashtag for the day is #coastalong
A few stark facts and figures which have come as a shock to me:
At least 4000 children die every day as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation.
One eight of the worlds population - 884 million people -do not have access to safe water.
2.6 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is almost two fifths of the world's population
I feel very ignorant. I had no idea of the scale of this problem. We pretty much take our water for granted. Instant access anytime we want it. We don't have to give it a second thought!
WaterAid has a vision where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. They do work in 26 countries across Africa, Asia and the Pacific region to transform lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in some of the world’s poorest communities. Over the past 30 years, WaterAid has reached almost 16 million people with safe water and, since 2004, over 11 million people with sanitation.
And that's why I'm walking for water and joining other walkers around the UK on the Coast Along event.
Why not take part? See some of the UK's best coast lines, get together with family or a few friends and make a team, have a great day out and raise some money for Wateraid at the same time! REGISTER HERE
I'm doing a circular route around Cardiff Bay. Did I mention it's 6.2 miles?! ;)
I wonder what I'll see and who'll I'll meet en route! I'll keep you posted!
Another fact - The distance walked by most Coast Along walkers will be similar to the daily routine for millions of women and children in Africa and Asia and the average weight of water carried is 20kg!
Donations are critical to WaterAid's work, and I'm going to ask you to please donate something.
Money raised will help WaterAid to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education for some of the world’s poorest people. Just £15 can enable one person to access safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation, so everyone who takes part can make a real difference.
Thank you. I hope you will join me along my Coast Along walk this Saturday :)
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