On May 15th I’m sure I’ll be questioning why I find myself on the Great Wall at 7 a.m. equipped with amateur running kit and a banana. Some of you will know that I got myself involved in this very same half-marathon 3 years back and successfully managed to raise a great deal for The Passage homeless shelter in central London. As such, the proposition of doing it again did not sound half as daunting in January while cheap pints in the Beijing winter still induced a blissful ignorance.

As BRICKS’ newest member I’m using this opportunity to get in touch with all of you so as to raise money and awareness for these elderly care projects we’re working with. After working here for 3 months it has become quite clear how invaluable these support networks across rural China are and how under-funded they find themselves to carry out their work. Of course, China is massive and these are just 4 projects, but the work they do is extremely personal and necessary to the 80 people being covered by these funds I hope to help raise.

I’m sure you will appreciate how important the development of home-based care for the elderly in rural China is, particularly when taken into account of the growing demographic shift in the direction of a growing elderly population. In short, please help me support these budding organisations with a donation to the Great Wall Marathon Appeal for Elderly Home Care Services.

Thank you,

Henry