UP AND AWAY

This diary entry was written at an altitude of 38,000 feet. After a final frantic week of preparations and saying goodbyes, Paddy and I somehow made it to the airport with about 200kg of equipment divided into 18 pieces of baggage – including three bikes which had only arrived at 4pm the day before! We’re excited and I am very pleased to have pulled everything together. Organising Breaking the Cycle has been the most complex and difficult project I have ever managed. Researching and designing the concept, route and storyline, this project has been four years in the planning, with 18 months of  “full-on” organisation (while keeping a full time job).

I’ve only just managed to pull together the “bare bones” $200K  budget thanks to the support of 30 sponsors and many private contributors. We have the backing of a number of partner organisations who are allowing us to explore the issues associated with extreme poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa to a meaningful depth. I encourage you to support these organisations (see Partners’ section of this website).

The Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development have done an amazing job creating this innovative e-learning education programme, customised and practical for the BTC project. It’s now ready to go and I hope schools throughout Australia and beyond will get involved. The platform is there for teachers around the world to communicate their ideas and share resources so reinforce what is being learned.

While I have been driving BTC so many other have embraced the project; many have contributed big time and their belief has really spurred me on. Robert Swan has not only been responsible for connecting me to many of the major sponsors, but has also been working tirelessly with Tamara, my publicist to give a number of motivational lectures to raise funds.

The logistics for creating the documentary are complex. Paddy has done an incredible job researching and sourcing all the AV and storage equipment to ensure we can capture quality material to make a great documentary series.

And lastly I know I have a great team…Daniel (cyclist), John (driver) and Paddy (cameraman). We all have different strengths, skills and experience to contribute, but we all have a common goal. John has been involved since last November, Daniel since April and Paddy came on board in the last three months. When we touch down in a few hours, we’ll meet Dan for the first time. John we will meet next week. And so the adventure begins! We are so excited.