Do you want to do something different in 2007, something that will not just improve your fitness and the quality of your life, but something that has the potential to give hope to thousands of Africans? Then sign up for our 3Peaks – “No Laughing Matter” Challenge now!

Join the Comedians in The Fight Against AIDS

Some of the UK’s top comedians have decided to ditch the beers, cigs and espressos to commit to get fit to climb the UK’s highest peaks on behalf of Act4Africa. Having read of the devastating AIDS crisis which has infected 65 million and left over 12 million AIDS orphans in Africa, they have put together a team to compete in our 3Peaks – “No Laughing Matter” Challenge on the weekend of 29th June – 1st July 07. All funds raised from this event will be used to fund Act4Africa’s AIDS Prevention Education and Behavioural Change Programmes in Africa.

The challenge will see them go through a tough training regime which will prepare them for an attempt to climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon within 24 hours.

The comedians are challenging you (yes that’s you!) to put together a team (minimum of 6, maximum of 8) and join them in getting fit, climbing mountains and raising money to combat AIDS.

In addition to training and participating in the 3 Peaks, the comedians will also be using this gruelling challenge to come up with some new jokes and stories or “laughing matter” to be performed at a Comedy Night in Manchester in aid of Act4Africa.

Who’s Running the Event?

Act4Africa is thrilled to have signed up MerseyVenture, a professional outdoor and mountain pursuit’s organization who will be coordinating the challenge, transport, and accommodation for this event. They will also be providing a qualified mountain leader for each team. To find out more about MerseyVenture and for advice on the itinerary, preparation and training log onto www.merseyventure.com/threepeaks.

How Much Money Do We Need to Raise?

The fundraising target for each team of 6 – 8 individuals is £7,000 or £1,000 per individual.

We are here to help you to achieve your goal with lots of fundraising advice and ideas and the provision of support materials. Our overall target for this event is to raise £40,000+ for Act4Africa. (The cost to Act4Africa for each person to participate in this event is £320 – if you felt able to raise this on top of your £1000 it would increase the net income of this event by a third!)

How Will The Money Raised Be Spent?

Act4Africa is a tiny charity with a huge struggle against AIDS. As our charity grows, so do the demands for our AIDS Prevention Education Programmes in Africa. The following list will give you an idea of how your efforts can help to combat this horrific pandemic:

• £100 will enable 10 teachers or church leaders to attend one of our AIDS Conferences so that they can learn about HIV&AIDS and how to teach others to combat it.
• £250 will enable one of Act4Africa’s local teams to deliver HIV&AIDS Prevention Workshops in one school, working with up to 1000 young people.
• £2000 will enable one of our African staff to qualify as an AIDS Counsellor and Educational Specialist.
• £5,000 will enable us to fund a 3 day AIDS Conference in Africa, enabling our local team to give hundreds of teachers, church and community leaders the skills to teach their own communities about AIDS and how to break down the stigma associated with this tragic disease.
• £6000 will enable us to provide our Tanzanian team with a minibus to give them easier access to schools and communities in some of the toughest to reach areas.
• £12,000 will enable us to deliver “Train the Trainer” programmes and work with new recruits at the Ugandan Army’s Staff College (the Ugandan version of Sandhurst) for a year, training young officers how to teach their troops about AIDS and how to reduce its threat to the health of Ugandans.

What Do I Do Now?

• Start recruiting your team (don’t worry if you are unable to do this, we will allocate a team of people of similar fitness to you nearer the date)
   
• Download and fill in the application form (click here) and forward it with your entry fee (£100 per person - refundable against your sponsorship target) to Act4Africa, The 3Peaks – “No Laughing Matter” Challenge, 22 Monarch Drive, Northwich ,Cheshire, CW9 8TH. We will send your entry confirmation, sponsor forms and lots of tips on how to raise money (and get fit) by return.
   
• Get your hiking boots on and start training!

In some of the communities we are working in at present, up to 75% of the population is either HIV+ or suffering from full blown AIDS. If we don’t do something about it and fast, those communities will no longer exist in 20 years time.

“Africa is currently home to over 12 million AIDS orphans. Too much to comprehend? If you imagine every child in England, standing at the school gates, waiting to be picked up at the end of a school day and not a single parent or carer arriving to pick them up, because every one of them has been obliterated by AIDs, then it gives you an idea of the scale of the problem.”

If you’d like to know more about this event and how you can get involved, please call me on 0776 458 5030 or (01606) 44268 or email act4africa@aol.com.

In the time it has taken you to read this page, nearly 800 people in Africa will have become infected with the HIV virus. I hope that you’ll join us in working towards ensuring that this horrific statistic becomes just a memory of the past.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Lesley-Ann Newman
Director – Act4Africa