Day One of the Walk.
Ryde, Isle of Wight, to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. 24 miles. 8 hours total.
Are you old enough to remember 1985? Are you old enough to remember Bob Geldof and Live Aid? For those who aren’t, Bob Geldof used his outrage and anger to put on a Global music concert that finally raised over $125,000,000 to help ease the famine in Ethiopia, and in turn help other African nations. Google, ‘Bob Geldof give us your money,’ and you will see for yourself the outrage that got people digging deep into their pockets.
So I am only walking around the Isle of Wight, not a great feat. But the reason I impulsively took the walk on was because I saw Andrea’s fundraiser limping around the fifty pound mark. This is a lady who has lost her daughter. On March 7th 2018 Georgina went out shopping. To date, her whereabouts are unknown. Andrea holds down a job, looks after Georgina’s two young children, who often, obviously, ask Andrea where their mummy is. Until lockdown, for nearly two years, Andrea and her family and friends have walked the streets of Worthing putting up poster after poster, banner after banner. Andrea has spent over two years in unbearable torment. To me, fifty pounds is an insult to Andrea, and to her sorrow.
Bob Geldof told the public that giving their money to his cause would save countless lives, and it did. Did we feel that it was our fault that people were dying in famines? I don’t think we did, and I don’t really think Bob thought so either. What he did believe though was that it was possible to do something to change the situation of millions of Africans. He convinced us in a matter of hours that we had something, perhaps surplus, in our lives, that could help other people.
Money may not be the ultimate answer for Andrea-but it would help. It would ease her burden-just a little bit. Personally, I would like to see us raise more than the requested two thousand pounds. I would like to see Andrea financially eased in every sphere of her life, and with extra, spare, to be able to concentrate fully on finding out what has happened to her daughter Georgina.
So I walk the walk to request your help, if you feel it is the right thing to do, and in turn, you think it will help Andrea. Depending on what has actually happened to Georgina, there is no fault lain at the general public. This is not a ‘you have money so give it to another’ scheme. This is a request that if you can, and if you want to, read Georgina’s Missing Facebook posts, and decide for yourself if a personal donation is the correct thing for you to do. Many thanks for reading this far.
The walk will continue, hopefully, tomorrow and Friday. Tomorrow about twenty miles, Friday nineteen. The figure has crept up today on Andrea’s fundraiser. Thank you very much.
Andrea’s Fundraiser on Facebook.
Andrea Gharsallah’s daughter Georgina has been missing from her home town of Worthing since the 7th of March 2018. Andrea and her family and friends have put their hearts and souls into doing all they can to find out what happened to Georgina on that day. And it costs money. Tens of thousands of posters have been put up over the weeks, months and now years. Laminated banners, staples, cable ties, phone calls, data costs, all add up. They have organised several events that have been well attended, and have raised vital cash put towards the reward for information leading to Georgina’s whereabouts.
Their latest inititative sees a Facebook fundraiser, and at the moment-it is limping along. Two pounds will help Andrea in her quest to find her daughter, five would be great, ten the same. Can we raise the two thousand pounds (plus if possible) that Andrea and her team are asking for to continue their quest now that the lockdown allows them to pound the streets once again.
My job is simple, walk the Isle of Wight coastline, (65 miles ish), sharing their request. I won’t rush it, maybe 15 miles a day. I plan to get it done within 7 days, work and weather depending. I start tomorrow morning, Wednesday 22nd July.
Please do read through Georgina’s Missing Facebook posts if you would like to understand more about the case. You will find the page here.
https://www.facebook.com/FindGeorgina
If you can help Andrea raise the two thousand pounds in that seven days, gratitude will be abundant. Many thanks.
I will update this page daily and the updates will be shared via the Facebook page. Here is the link to Andrea’s fundraiser: Thank you again.
https://www.facebook.com/donate/2709771432586625/2666734000251502/
Day two and three of the walk.
I finished the walk for Georgina yesterday, Sunday 26th July. The 65 miles took three days. I had a two day break after the second day-allowing blisters to heal. The total on Andrea’s fundraiser has moved up to £205, and thank you very much to those that contributed. I know it will be gratefully received. We have not reached the £2000 total that I had hoped to reach, but there is another 24 hours to go before the 7 day deadline I optimistically set. Of course what Andrea really wants is to know what has happened to Georgina, and on a personal level I can only pray that this comes as soon as possibe for her. It is not good for Human beings to suffer so much on a minute by minute basis.
I know that in itself money is perhaps not the answer, but if it can help Andrea in her quest and it can help her realise we wish her so much support, then please, if you feel moved, do add to her total. And many thanks if you do feel moved and do add to it. Thank you.
TiptoeingaroundEurope.com 