Blogging: 4 years, 1071 posts, and the chance to make a difference.
on Jan 27 in Hadrian's Walk by DanIt’s All That Come’s With It‘s blogiversary today. Four years old, can you believe it. And still no signs of slowing down.
Well, ok, there might be some signs of slowing down. Like the fact I used to post daily and now it’s generally two or three times a week. Or that I’ve had all the ingredients for a new special kids podcast for a month now, yet I still haven’t got round to putting them all together.
But that’s not due to a lack of enthusiasm. I’m still as excited about blogging as I ever was. I just spread myself around a bit more these days, that’s all. Take the Midnight Movie Club for example – who knew that talking about popcorn movies from the 80′s and 90′s with a Aussie reprobate would be so much fun?
And then of course there’s this Hadrian’s Walk thing.
Five years ago my very good friends Neil and Rachael lost their three year old son, Joseph. He died of streptococcal pneumonia. There were no warning signs. He wasn’t ill when they put him to bed. But when they went to wake him up in the morning he was gone.
I can’t even bare to imagine how that feels.
Joseph
Determined to grasp something positive out of such a tragedy, Neil and Rachael founded the Joseph Salmon Trust in their son’s name. If he wasn’t to be able to reach his full potential to leave his mark on the world, then they would do it for him.
The Trust provides financial support to parents who have lost a child. This may be to help with funeral costs, or to allow the self employed a break from work in order to come to terms with their grief. Bereaved families have enough to cope with without the added concern about where they will find the money to pay for a headstone, or pay the next electricity bill if they can’t face going to work.
The Trust deals with each family on a case by case basis, providing help to those who need it most. Families that the charity has helped include that of twelve year old Jordan, who died in a prank gone tragically wrong; and Ryan, a four year old boy brutally murdered as an act of revenge against his mother.
These are horrific, heartbreaking tales. But every single family that the trust helps has a similarly tragic story. There are no “it’s probably for the best”‘s when a child dies. No “they had a good innings”. Just heartbreak, despair, and a beautiful hope lost. There is nothing we can do to make things better. But we can do something to stop them getting worse.
Back in 2008 a group of eleven friends and I hiked 76 miles along the Dales Way footpath in aid of the Trust. We raised £6,000, gained a great sense of achievement, and had a fantastic time int he process. Back in June of last year I announced my intention to do it all again. But this time I asked if anyone who visited my blog wanted to come with me.
The response was staggering.
As it stands there will be over sixty people joining me on a 86 mile long walk of Hadrian’s Wall this July. People are coming from all over the world to walk the path and show their support for the Trust. We’ve got people from England, Scotland, Ireland, America and Holland. We’ve got paramedics, nurses, policemen, teachers, bankers, writers, editors, and stay-at-home parents. We’ve even got a university professor and an American superior court judge. And all this is through the power of a blog.
Now try telling me that you can’t use the internet to make real friends.
Not everyone who is coming on the walk is a blogger themselves. In fact the majority aren’t (although most are friends or family of those who are and are being dragged along for the ride). But over the coming few days I’d like to use my blog to showcase the bloggers who are coming with me. There isn’t one among them that I don’t admire as a writer and a human being, and sometimes I just like to show off about my friends.
If you would like to make a donation to the Joseph Salmon Trust you can do so on our Justgiving Page. All the charities running costs are paid for corporate sponsorship, and so every penny of your donation will go straight to the people who need it most.
Related posts:
- Down Under Support in the Buff
- A request for a signature
- A-Z of Hadrian’s Bloggers: Ed & Erin
- Reasons to love blogging, part 1
- A-Z of Hadrian’s Bloggers: Arjan & Catherine
« « Porridge and Diet Coke – an experiment| A-Z of Hadrian’s Bloggers: Arjan & Catherine » »
I’m really looking forward to this walk Dan – it’ll be great to meet everyone who I’ve heard so much about, and I’m very confident that we’ll be able to meet our fundraising target.
I’ve got a lot of support from friends and colleagues already, and will soon be converting that support into actual money.
We’ll do the Trust proud!
I’m pretty sure that both walks started off being described as 84 miles, and having seen your itinerary for Hadrian’s Walk, my legs are beginning to ache already. Right then. Squash and swimming kit are staying in the car – ready to be donned at every possible opportunity (within reason). Yes, in the car. I’m not walking anywhere just yet…
@Oli, If you actually up all the milage as I’ve outlined in the itinerary it actually comes to 87 or something like that. Basically I don’t know how far it is – but it’s definitely a pretty long way.
.-= Kerry´s last blog ..Don’t panic! (26/365) =-.
I too have been blogging 4 years, and I have found it a lifeline after moving into rural Wales after 18 years in Sheffield!
my online teenage diary..is a must! (well for me anyhow)
.-= john´s last blog ..Goodbye Solo =-.
@john, me too.
i wish I could bloody move to rural Wales
.-= Kerry´s last blog ..Don’t panic! (26/365) =-.
Happy blogiversary!!
Just wanted to thank you and all your readers for the support you have shown both Rachael and I and our Charity.
With the help of this blog you have already raised a staggering amount of money which has gone 100% to help families who are in such pain and need.
I know you’ll raise even more this time around too!
Neil
@Neil, Cheers Neil.
.-= Kerry´s last blog ..Don’t panic! (26/365) =-.
Congratulations sir,
Would’na be the internet without your blog!
Just in four years time we might be saying the same thing about the Midnight Movie Club, by then we’ll be watching Avatar I suppose.
:P
.-= Lee´s last blog ..The Iron Man 2 soundtrack reads like a “best of” AC/DC =-.
@Lee, I suspect we may have run out of Al Leong films in four years.
Happy blogiversary! And what a wonderful cause, I hope you are able to raise lots of money and awareness for the Trust. I look forward to learning more.
.-= Noble Savage´s last blog ..I had a vision of love =-.
@Noble Savage, oh don’t worry. You’re going to hear a lot more about it :)
Happy Blogiversary, Dan. My present to you is that I am going to retweet this post several times.
This is what I like best about blogging, being able to really make a difference where it matters. You know I’d love to do the walk but a lack of childcare means I can’t. But I will add whatever support I can where I can.
.-= Rosie Scribble´s last blog ..Mummy, am I going to die one day? =-.
@Rosie Scribble, it’s appreciated Rosie
1071? Good lord you’re gaining on me and I’ve been going a year longer. Where DO you find the time!!!
Happy Blogiversary and well done as ever on the fundraising.
.-= Steve´s last blog ..Things to do with the Kids – Ball Pits! =-.
@Steve, A couple of hundred of those posts were “mini blog” ones though.
Happy Blogiversary. My fourth was last June-ish and I completely missed it. Still sad about that.
.-= kapgar´s last blog ..And you were right there next to me… =-.
@kapgar, you could nominate a second blogiversary for yourself, just like the Queen.
Happy blogiversary! I think the Joseph Salmon Trust is a very worthwhile cause and I would be happy to sponsor you (will have to wait until pay day though, a bit short right now). Would love to be able to join you for the walk but sadly can’t, unless you want to come and do one in Lapland, that is.
@Heather, we were talking about heading to Holland next year, and possibly the US the year after. But Lapland is a little bit of stretch.
Congrats Dan… and keep up the good work! You really DO help make a difference. :-)
.-= Jeff´s last blog ..And if we’re lucky, Debby Harry and Robin Leach may show up! =-.
@Jeff, Thanks man. And I promise I’ll try and do a few more ostrich themed posts just for you
Congratulations! Always a pleasure to read your blog. Unless, like, it’s a well geeky boy post then I skip it ;P But I bet the guys love those ones, so there’s a balance in all things. Should stop whittering now. Really looking forward to the walk, my boots are now well broken in, they’re the only thing which could cope with the past month’s weather!!
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Attire =-.
@Catherine, how dare you skip my blog posts! And the geeky ones are the best bit!
Congrats mate. I must begrudgingly admit that I do enjoy your blog posts. There I said it. Don’t go getting a big head now.
.-= Kevin Spencer´s last blog ..Things I Like About America: Plugs =-.
@Kevin Spencer, you know, some people thought that getting that academy award was the pinnacle of my achievements, but this bit of praise from you? Well, lets just say it’s made the last four years worthwhile.
1071??!!! I knew you were long winded.
.-= Ed´s last blog ..What? Do We Live in a Zoo? =-.
@Ed, it does seem like a ridiculously large amount doesn’t it.
It’s 2 years since I first read your account of Joseph’s story and I still can’t get through it without the shivers.
Lately, I’ve had some serious doubts about leaving the wife and not-yet-present child behind and going bloody walking for a bloody week, but something tells me it will be worth it.
4 years, impressive.
.-= Martin´s last blog ..Foliage =-.
@Martin, I guarantee it’ll be worth it. If only that you’ll probably get better sleep.
congrats on the 4 years. Still going strong. And 2-3 blogs..well you’ve got a the midmo and the hadrians blog too to fill up the blogosphere nicely and the organisation of the walk (on which you’re doing an absolutely awesome job at the moment!).
.-= Arjan´s last blog ..Micmacs à tire la larigot =-.
@Arjan, Cheers man. I must admit that it’s coming near to causing me a complete nervous breakdown, but it’s worth it.
Wow, has it been four years already? I think I’ve been with you most of that time. Reading your blog posts is always effortless. Fun, informative, touching, weird. You never know what you’re gonna get with Dan, but it will always be worth your time.
And it is an honor to be involved with Hadrian’s Walk. You’re not only affecting lives in your little corner of the world, but you’re having an influence on so many others. We’ll be paying it forward for years to come. I won’t even mention the fact that your invite was just the kick in the butt I needed to deal with some negative health issues. Oh, I did mention it.
Anyway, congrats and keep writing!
@Idaho Dad, you certainly were one of the earliest ones. Actually it would be quite interesting to trawl through the archives and find out when everyone started commenting.
And thanks for the kind words. Very much appreciated.
Well done on the four years. But that story about the little boy just made my heart clench. What a horrible, horrible thing.
.-= A Free Man´s last blog ..You might find some fools at your doorstep =-.