Completed Challenge 1# - Toddler Time!

Well...hats off to parents, grandparents, nursery staff and anyone else who spends a lot of time with toddlers. It was hardcore! Despite several attempts to wear her out it was me that ended up exhausted. We played every game possible, I got too stuck into Mr Tumble and missed her drawing on the table, went to the playmill, the farm and had one major projectile vomiting incident. It was hilarious, heartwarming, exhausting and frustrating all rolled into one.

I kept reminding myself how easy I had it in comparison with parents of a child with any kind of disability. Everyone's advice was to have a few glasses of wine and stock up on the chocolate. I didn't plan it too well coinciding it with the healthy eating challenge!

So thank you for the donations, 1 completely down, 8 days left on the health kick (not that I'm counting). But remember there are plenty more challenges to go! You can nominate your own or donate to support this or any other challenge at www.justgiving.com/30before30sense

Challenge 8# Teach The World To Sign!

This will be a long term ongoing challenge but for me a very important one. I was givine it by lovely sister in law Sinead to teach her but I'm extending it to any one who is interested. I'm just in the process of learning sign language myself and currently studying for level 1. It's something I massively enjoy and I am very passionate about encouraging other people to communicate with those who are deaf or hearing impaired.

I'm going to be running a taster signing session at my work for staff and students. This will be an hour long class teaching the basics of finger spelling and numbers. All participants will receive a certificate that can be used to enhance CV's or professional development and they will make a small donation to join the class.

I am happy to run other sessions for individuals or groups of people again for a small donation so please email me if you're interested (rachbuckley30@gmail.com).

Remember you can donate to support this or any other challenge through my just giving page www.justgiving.com/30before30sense

Challenge 7# I'm A Teacher Get Me Out Of Here!

This is a scary one for me! But it combines some spider related challenges I've had and raises sensory awareness. This one takes place at my work with a range of very supportive staff members. There is a competitive element where staff have to put their hand in a tarantula cage for as long as they can cope, bob for apples in smelly water and eat as many extreme sour sweets as they can. We are raising additional money by charging students and other staff to observe our torture.

Sense have kindly donated balloons, leaflets and posters so that I can also use it as an opportunity to educate the students about the kind of work that Sense does.

Although it's a short one it may be one of my hardest challenges as I've always had a major spider phobia. I'm hoping going for the biggest spider I can may get rid of this - failing that I know my mentor group will get a kick out of watching me squeal!

Remember you can donate to support this or any other challenge through my just giving page www.justgiving.com/30before30sense or by texting SENS84 plus the amount to 70070

Challenge 6# - Life Drawing

This challenge is hilarious to me and totally unexpected. It's courtesy of my friend Jen who has kindly offered to support by coming along too. The premise is that I attend a life drawing class and show the products of my work on here. The catch? I can't draw - to the point where my special needs class constantly laugh at me. The other catch? I'm what you might call a tad prudish - to the point where my family ridicule me and people genuinely stop conversations for my benefit.

So for me this is absolutely a challenge and another chance to raise awareness of our use of the senses. I'm hoping due to being hearing impaired I'll have a fine eye for detail - you'll see the fruits of my labour soon!

Don't forget you can donate to support this or any other challenge on my just giving page www.justgiving.com/30before30sense

Money so far!

So far we have raised £327 which is absolutely fantastic and over 10% of the way towards my goal. I have also had fantastic offers of support with challenges over the last few days and some very exciting projects coming up.

So far we can use:


£250 – to kit out a home with sensory 'trails' enabling the deafblind residents to identify specific rooms, stairs etc, enabling them to live in a safe, secure environment.



£50 – to help pay for a deafblind child's vital first assessment.



£25 – to buy an interactive light tube to help stimulate a deafblind child's remaining sight.

Thank you so much everyone who has donated money or support so far!

Remember you can donate to support any challlenge or nominate your own at www.justgiving.com/30before30sense alternatively you can text SENS84 plus the amount to 70070.

Challenge 5# Eat totally healthily for a month!

Now to many people this is nothing; you do it all the time and every so often 'treat' yourself to some chocolate or chips then work it off. I, however, told people I was going to eat healthily for a month - without fail every one that knows me laughed in my face. I'm yet to find someone convinced I can do it.

Thankfully this challenge is from my husband so we're in it together and are getting rid of everything tempting. We're using an app to monitor our calories and as he has the willpower of a saint it will hopefully stop me from failing. As an indication the diet starts tomorrow and today I have had a sausage baguette, snickers, several chocolates, fillet steak sandwich, potato dauphinois and some cake. This a pretty regular day for me and I would never go a day without a chocolate bar.

So I can promise it will be a challenge. Nevertheless I have a slightly tubby dog who needs walking every day and the swim challenge to train for so I'm going to do it. Tomorrow I will hopefully not be 200 calories over. This was even after over an hour walking the dog uphill!

Remember you can support this or nominate your own challenge by going to my just giving page www.justgiving.com/30before30sense

Challenge 4# Swim 3 miles!

This challenge is going to be a long one in the preparation. Sarah has challenged me to swim 3 miles aka 5K aka 195 lengths of a 25metre swimming pool. I am by no means a swimmer and so far on the 2 swimming trips I have made I have really pushed myself to swim 50 lengths each time so I'm a long way off 195. She has gallantly agreed to do it with me so we will be attempting to complete the challenge May half term. We will be training up until this point and anyone is welcome to join for a bit of new year weight loss. This is going to be very difficult and lots of donations would really keep us going! Will keep you posted on the progress.

Swimming is something that can be a great experience for deaf blind children with specialist teachers. Here's a lovely picture of a deafblind child enjoying the pool

Don't forget you can support this challenge or nominate one of your on by dinating on my justgiving page www.justgiving.com/30before30sense