Major hurdle reached in Project Namibia quest but more sponsors are needed

So it has been three weeks since I last told you about my fundraising efforts for the Bobby Moore Fund's Project Namibia but to be honest it has only been in the last few days that I have got back the momentum I had been lacking at the start of the month.

The biggest news from my point of view is that I have reached the 80% target of £3,200. All of the participants on the project have to raise that money by April 1 to secure their place and I was getting a little bit worried about hitting that first major hurdle.

But a couple of large donations backed by a handful of smaller ones from friends and family has helped me hit that target with a week to spare. My justgiving page looks better every time I visit it but I do still need more sponsors. It does only take a couple of minutes to donate via my justgiving page and it doesn't need to be a huge amount. As the Tesco catchphrase constantly reminds us: "Every little helps" and the money you donate is split between bowel cancer research and giving children in Namibia a chance of a better education - I am sure you would agree both are worthwhile causes.

As well as my fundraising efforts being published onto journalist website HoldTheFrontPage, I have appeared in both my local newspapers; Fenland Citizen and Wisbech Standard. I have also had my stories published on their websites:

Outwell footballer is Africa-bound - Fenland Citizen

Fenland village footballer to help revamp African school in Bobby Moore Fund project - Wisbech Standard

I am delighted that both newspapers gave lots of space for both words and pictures. I have already had a few donations from their readers and I have been contacted by people offering to help me raise the rest of the money which is fantastic.

In addition, I have been sent a cheque by Michael and Wendy Foot who know all about raising money for charity as founders of the Robert Foot Leukaemia Fund. The couple set up the fund after their son died in 2002 and they have worked so hard to raise more than £110,000 to help patients in the Samaritan Ward, Guys Hospital, in London, Shouldham Ward and McMillian Day Unit, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Kings Lynn and the Teenage Cancer Trust at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge.

Michael was very interested when I originally told him about my fundraising efforts and he has given me plenty of support and guidance throughout my fundraising drive. I was delighted and a little surprise when on top of everything he has already done for me, he posted me a cheque to go towards my target. I would just like to say a massive thank you to the pair of them and I hope to see Michael on the stands at Wisbech Town FC soon.

I have been in talks with a few more West Norfolk and Cambridgeshire organisations to get some more sponsorship and I hope to have a few more cheques by the start of April. I am keeping my fingers crossed  for these donations and hope to tell you all about how wonderful these organisations are soon.

I am interested, however, to see if there are any other companies out there who might be able to help me with a few items I need for the trip as a way of sponsorship. There is quite an extensive list of things I need so if you might be able to help or know anyone I should perhaps get in touch with drop me an e-mail: davidblackmore@hotmail.co.uk.

I am still finding that the first question people are asking me is: "How is your fundraising going?" I continue to be amazed by how many people have shown an interest in what I will be doing in Namibia and why I am doing it. Long may that continue!

Finally, I have got a few fundraising events lined up for the coming months with one possibly seeing me take part in an endurance test I will struggle to complete but I will only reveal all once I have got confirmed details.

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