Sophie Wilson, Harriet, Lucy and Grace
Maarten and Dion
The boys, Will P, Oli L, Calum, Sam, Nick, Tom P and Will J.
Kyran, Tom D, Libby and Tom W in their matching shell suits...
Today, most of the venturers have been white water rafting (in fact they've just come back with huge grins on their faces raving about how much fun it was!) and some visited Guyabo, whereas a few of them have been staring at their kit for several hours this afternoon wondering how they're going to fit it all in their backpacks again! In the office, all the staff have been rushing around to make sure everything is ready to go for tonight and tomorrow. The DVDs have been burned (over 2300 photos for them to show you when they get home!), the expedition T-shirts picked up, canapes prepared (crudites with hummus, sesame chicken, bruscetta and nachos - yum!) and most importantly we have been finishing off the final slideshow and the Golden Mess Tin awards.
It's been an emotional day, looking back at all the photos of when they first arrived and how much everyone has changed, and over all the amazing things they've done. There have been many teary eyes as we've pulled them together today, I have to admit mainly from me so far, although I think everyone will be at it later on this evening!
I'll upload some pictures,and the results of the awards tomorrow morning after everyone has left for the airport, but in the meantime, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our readers who has been following the blog for the last 10 weeks. I cannot tell you how much your messages have meant us throughout the expedition, it's always the first thing people ask when I visit the projects... "have you got the blog messages?!" and I have hugely enjoyed reading them all every day.
You have made us smile, and had us all in fits of laughter (Kayleigh's mum you're leading the pack on this one!). You have also had me in tears, at the kindness of your words, and the pride and love you have expressed every day. The recent messages of good luck and inspiration as we near the end have touched us all over the last few days. Thank you so much for sharing this journey with us, you have helped to make it even more special.
17 comments:
Dear Raleigh team, thank you so much for the incredible experience that you have given the entire team, and in particular for the flow of information and pictures. This has allowed us to share in part the great times they have obviously had. We cannot wait to receive the first-hand account when our venturer returns.
Dear Mums, Dads and other blog-watchers around the world,
What shall we do instead of our daily blog scanning? It has been great to be part of our on-line community this last 3 months, and to catch a glimpse of you all and your love and support for our magnificent young people. Between us we have loved, supported and stroked our sons and daughters from afar, revelled in their amazing exploits and warned them to use sun-screen, take anti-malarials etc on each others' behalf. Communal parenting on an epic scale!
I think Raleigh International has some strong advocates from amongst us; I'll certainly be encouraging others in our extended family to 'Get out there!'
Thank you all for your good-humoured company.
May you hold your Venturer close soon.
Over and out from the Wright family xxxxxx
To Everyone
Firstly heartfelt thanks to all involved in organising and running this hugh project. I had no idea it would be such a major undertaking and all at the base deserve a medal for their hard work.
and to all the Raleigh venturers , every success to you all as you go your separate ways, the contact through the web blogs has been addictive, I'll miss it!
A grateful Mum x
Thank you Blogmeister (and all your apprentices)!
I awoke this morning and my first emotion was relief because it was Good Friday, and Good Friday=lie in/duvet day. That feeling was very quickly replaced by a weird combination of sadness and excitement, which kinda took me by surprise. It goes without saying that I am beside myself with excitement at seeing my Pooch (I know she is 21 but she will forever be my Pooch) again in a few days, but sad because her fabulous Raleigh adventure, and that of her fellow venturers/PMs etc, has come to an end.
However, I have a sneaking suspicion it won't be long before Kayleigh, starts planning her next adventure; I'm pretty certain that applying for graduate employment schemes won't be at the top of her list!
I would like to express my sincere thanks to all at Raleigh, Kayleigh may be slightly older than some of her fellow venturers, and may have already survived 3 years at University (and 21 years of me!), but that doesn't stop a Momsy from worrying. The more I read the blog, the more reassured I became that she was in safe, capable hands, and probably wouldn't be eaten by the indigenous wildlife; which is more than can be said for home! My team at work have also been gripped by the experience, although they may argue that they kinda had it inflicted on them?
Blogmeister! I was extremely shocked, and a tad embarrassed to receive my very own blog mention, but I'm glad that I made you smile. Kayleigh would most probably disagree with you; she hasn't proved quite so appreciative of my comments. I have actually been 'told off' by email on a couple of occasions (Pooch occasionally=Pocket Pitbull), but that only served to spur me on...she really should have known better. I too have enjoyed reading other peoples blog comments; I feel I know so much about a group of young people I have never met, and will most likely never meet.
Thanks again, I wish everyone involved in Raleigh Costa Rica/Nicaragua 09A all the best for the future. x x x x x
Just one final BIG THANK YOU to everyone at Raleigh and fieldbase for giving our offspring the most wonderful experience and equipping them with an amazing array of skills which we're sure they will utilize to improve our world.We will write to Gordon Brown to let him know of this and encourage more government spending to facilate this kind of experience for all young people.
Thank you again for sharing this adventure with us through your award winning BLOG. More than we ever expected.
Huge thanks from the parents and family of Adam Young. Good luck with all future projects. We're sure that Adam will want to be part of them !
thank you so much for all the hard work and support you hasve given over the past 10 weeks I too am feeling emotional over what has been achieved by all the groups and that is only from reading your blogs!!! It has been fantastic to be able to know what has been going on etc have really appreciated everything that all of you have done. Am looking forward to the airport reunion although am sure that the person that went out to you has turned into someone slightly different ....in a nice way....perhaps seeing life differently. Look forward to seeing the dvd. Thank you again and I wish you all the best for the future, whatever that holds
Hi fieldbase team and especially Amy
It has been great keeping up with all the goings on. I expect you will all feel a little flat after the venturers go home. Remember we all appreciate your hard work and dedication.
Good luck to you all and Good luck.
Thanks again.
Sue Lambert
Just to say a big thankyou to the team for all the hard work you have put into this project, giving the venturers such a memorable and character building experience, all part of life's rich tapestry.Wishing you and the venturers a Happy Easter, and good luck and best wishes, as you head off to your next destinations.
Many thanks to all who have been involved in our offsprings' wellbeing - on all levels. We have really appreciated the blog updates and the few emails from Deborah were so upbeat it is easy to see that a great time has been had, scorpions and all. Wishing you all the very best. Anne Perry
a HUGE thank you for the entire raleigh team...you have all done an incredible job keeping us parents up to date with what has been happening....I know I will miss the blogs as they have become part of my daily life. All the groups seem to have had an amazing time and I am sure that this experience will have a long lasting impact on their future. I feel very sad that it is over for them but am really looking forward to Rosie coming home....lets hope she doesnt find it too boring here after all she has done. Many thanks your hard work, it has been much appreciated by all of us back home... hope you all now manage to have a very good rest!
To all at field base.
We are very excited to be setting off early tomorrow morning to meet our daughter Grace at Heathrow Airport and to hear all about her fantastic experiences with you. Before we do, however, we would like to say a very big thank you to everyone involved, for providing her with such a challenging and yet safe adventure and for keeping us so well informed via this wonderful Blog. Like everyone, we have thoroughly enjoyed being able to follow Grace's progress as well as hearing about the progress of all other venturers and groups.
Grace heard about Raleigh from friends and we will certainly be passing our recommendation on to others.
Thank you again for all of your hard work, care and attention.
with Best Wishes
The Francombe family.
To the staff of fieldbase:
Thank you very much of all the information on the blogs. We loved to read them every day.
Also thank you for taking good care of our son Harm who had some problems with his eyes. We will have to wait another 2 weeks before we will see him because he is staying with 'new friends' in Costa Rica for a holiday. We can say he loved the project and we can't wait to see him and hear all his stories.
Thank you very much for everything and good luck with ending this project.
Harm's mom and dad
Fieldbase, PMs and all the busy team at Raleigh HQ in London who make this whole exercise possible:
Thank you for everything.
This is such a worthwhile cause, and it must surely change people's lives. It is a wonderful opportunity for our young people to reflect on the size of the world (small...) and the disparities in it (huge) and to reflect on who they are and who they wish to become, removed from the familiarity and restraints of home.
We hope it changes the lives of the people who have so generously welcomed the Alpha teams into their communities. May the new water systems and new buildings flourish.
It must also change the lives of PMs: what generosity to take time out of your own responsibilities and concerns, and give it to the formation of these young people. You have given them a safe place to grow and learn, and role models to contemplate. Thank you all.
I will miss the buzz of the blog, and the enthusiasm of the bloggers. Thank you all for your companionship over these last 3 months. Because you have changed my life, too - and I suspect I'm not the only parent to feel this.
A proud parent, and a proud member of the Raleigh community.
To all at fieldbase - oh my goodness - what am I going to do without your blogs?? sad as it si it has kept us so amused and excited to see every update for 10 whole weeks!!! I will miss reading the other mums messages........and be glad I am not the only mum thinking the same things! Thank you all so much - we know Tom has had a wonderful time and when he eventually comes home we will hear all about it and see all the photos. Thank you for everything and we hope that you all - whatever you are doing next - also have a great time.
Lyn & Michael P
We would just like to support all the wonderful comments from all the other families. As they have said you could not have done more for the young under your care over the past 10 weeks. You took them all to your hearts from the day they arrived and then cared for them so much throughout.
This morning we received a brilliant letter written by Tom D whilst on the trek just a week ago. He could not have been happier.
A HUGE Thank you to everyone involved in London and Costa Rica for your dedication.
With best wishes from the Dickson family.
thanks raleigh so much for looking after my big sis she really enjoyed it and said it was amazing thanks once again phoebs xx
Now that the venturers are all away - home or travelling on - I would like to thank all at Raleigh (Costa Rica and London and anywhere else) for everything you have done to make the trip safe, memorable, fun and a wonderful experience that will never be forgotten.
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