Today we celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton and wish them a long an happy life together. Between them they will no doubt be able to help numerous charitable causes. Earlier this month I felt very privileged to represent The Butterfly Tree at a celebration for his HRH Prince Phillip’s 90th birthday at Windsor Castle. The event was hosted by the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts’ Club with Windsor and Eton Rotary Club. This was followed by a dinner hosted by St James’s House, the London publishing company. The Butterfly Tree has been selected to be featured in the 2012 Rolls Royce Enthusiasts’ Club Year Book in their new philanthropy section. We are hoping that this will bring about some new philanthropic travellers to visit our projects in Mukuni Village.

Another great fundraising opportunity came about last week after winning a free place to participate in Cyclothon UK. Initiated by Victor Umbogo, the former England rugby player, the event should enable us to raise substantial funds for the orphans in Zambia. We  have three volunteers who have offered to participate – we are hoping to add a sporting celebrity to gain publicity for our team. The Paris marathon also took place and local girls Vicky and Rachel Sampson raised over £800 for the charity’s orphan support program.

Fundraising: Items donated for Machenje pre-school from South African tourists

Several groups and individuals have recently visited Mukuni – not only have they been humbled by the plight of these vulnerable people, but also impressed by the work the charity has done to improve the lives of these rural communities. The Brady Corporation, hosted by Incentivise UK kindly donated $2000 worth of stationery and blankets and Canon Australia have offered support after meeting the Mukuni school children. All our projects centre around the orphans, which includes orphan sponsorship, providing improved healthcare and education as well as safe water and feeding programs. Being able to improve their basic needs gives them a chance to move forward.

Mukuni Basic School

There are numerous ways to fundraise besides sporting events – hosting small events like Mutsa Murau who has organised a Swap Shop on the 8th May. Alex Weatherley’s parents set up a Just Giving page to invite guests attending Alex’s Christening to donate to the under five’s feeding program instead of giving presents. This can also be done for birthdays, anniversaries or any celebration. We have a number of church groups, schools and clubs as well as individuals and corporates who enable us to continue our vital grassroots projects in Zambia, through fundraising activities, donations and sponsorship.

If you would like to some fundraising for The Butterfly Tree and need any further details or advertising materials please email jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk