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

Challenge 3# experiencing being deaf-blind

This will be a difficult challenge but a massively important one. The good news is I need as many volunteers as possible to take part in it. The idea is that you volunteer to experience being deaf blind for a period of time. This could be an hour or a whole day. I will obviously do the whole day but would love some company to raise awareness of the event and hopefully you could get some sponsors of your own. You would need someone to help and guide you for however long you choose to do it for. If you don't feel comfortable going the whole hog you could opt for blindfolded or wearing headphones rather than both. More details to follow as this will take quite a lot of organisation.

Please let me know if you would like to get involved. Either on here or email rachbuckley30@gmail.com

Remember you can support this or any other challenge by donating on my justgiving page www.justgiving.com/30before30sense

Challenge 2# Bathing in Beans!

My second challenge is to bath in baked beans for 30 minutes. I'm hoping they are a secret skin remedy! But if not it's a useful challenge to promote the sense of touch. It will be a very unusual sensation. My friend and challenger Graham is contacting Heinz to see if I can get the beans for free to avoid any expense for the challenge. Pictures to follow when all is organised (appropriate swimsuit covered ones!)

Rachel

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

Challenge 1# Toddler Time!

My first confirmed challenge is to look after a toddler for a weekend. Thank you Sinead Buckley for this one! I have dutifully informed the hubby that he has permission to go away for valentines weekend if he can't face it. Unfortunately the poor dog has to stick it out with me. I will post pictures and a full update after - no doubt of my sleep deprived face and messy house.

When I turn to the tv show Mr Tumble for support I will be reminding myself how much more difficult it is for a parent or carer of a deafblind child and how important it is we raise as much as we can.

If you have kids or have ever looked after one please donate to remind me at 5am why I'm doing it! If not for me do it for the poor dog.  www.justgiving.com/30before30sense

lots of challenges are coming through!

Really great start guys! So far we have raised £110 which is enough for nearly 15 deafblind children to experience sailing and feel the wind on their face on their Sense holiday. Please keep the challenges coming and remember you can support a challenge set by someone else if you would rather.

I will start posting the challenges as and when they are confirmed on here and let the fun begin.

Remember it is really easy to go on www.justgiving.com/30before30sense or alternatively please contact me (rachbuckley30@gmail.com) to donate in any other way.

What your money can do...

Thank you for visiting my blog. While you are thinking of a great challenge for me here's a sense of what the money raised could buy:

 
£5 – could buy a set of musical bells to help stimulate even the tiniest amount of a deafblind child's hearing in music therapy.
£7.50 – could pay for a deafblind child to experience sailing and feel the wind on their face on their Sense holiday.
£15 – could pay for a tactile book for use at a Sense family centre to develop a child's sense of sight and touch.
£25 – could buy an interactive light tube to help stimulate a deafblind child's remaining sight.
£50 – could help pay for a deafblind child's vital first assessment.
£250 – could 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.
£500 – could pay for a child to undergo a specialised educational development assessment to establish what their learning abilities are.

Any donation at all would go towards one of these great smiles!!