Never-the-less, we were prepared this time. On arrival we pulled out the doodle scroll, the Sharpie markers and the gifts from Dodo Pad. As is now almost expected, the kids hands flew in and the doodling / scribbling ensued. Though each of our visits so far have been different the kids enthusiasm never wains. The Doodle Car keeps them entertained for about an hour and at this point we usually go on a tour of the village and bombard the director and staff with questions.

However, once we’d finished our doodling, the Village Director gathered the village around and gave a short speech thanking us for our support of the SOS Children’s Villages presented us with a framed letter, an incredible painting by one of the kids and a bag of SOS goodies. We were speechless, and still are.

We were then taken, for the first time, to one of the village houses for traditional Russian tea. Over butter and fish eggs on bread, we discussed how circumstances in recent history have allowed more than one million children to become orphans (consider that Russia has a population of only 140 million). Elena explained how it became almost acceptable to hand your child to the state and therefore parents started not to take responsibility for their children. This attitude has snowballed and is now ingrained in Russian society. It will take a seismic shift in attitude to change this way of thinking.

This visit gave us a much fuller understanding of how and why so many children grow up with out parents in Russia. It was over tea that a stark reality hit home; out of approximately 1 million orphans living in Russia, only a small few are privileged enough to find themselves placed in an SOS Children’s Village. These kids are the ones who are more likely to achieve in life but we can’t help but think that what we’re seeing merely scratches the surface of a much larger issue.

All that’s stopping them helping more orphans like the ones in Pushkin is the financial backing from donations. To support SOS Children’s Villages please back our project and donate here.

World Cup 2010 spectators wave their vuvuzela horns while watching the opening game between South Africa and Mexico in Durban. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Now I live close to the Heathrow flight path in TW1 so I probably get used to background noise quicker than most BUT surely, surely, surely the noise and atmosphere created will be one of the key elements that will make this World Cup what it will become –special and unique. The alternative – to ban the vuvuzela – is to celebrate the generic. To long for a World Cup just like the last one and the one to come. Think about it. Ban the vuvuzela? Where would we go next? Or perhaps more pertinently, what would our memories be made of if we had previously thought like this? Let’s take to our time machines, go back to Buenos Aries in 1978 for example and outlaw ticker tape. We could then set a course for the Azteca stadium in 1986 and stop people from standing up and throwing their arms in the air. Yes it’s a simple point yet I’m amazed to see the volume of counter arguments running rampant on twitter and the wires. This World Cup will be great in spite of global brands that sponsor it and the global media owners that cover it. It will be great because of a 30-yard pile driver from someone we least expect, a dazzling piece of artistry from a Messi or Kaka, a crazed celebration from Maradona and inevitably a penalty shoot-out for England. But more than that it will be great because of what Africa and African culture brings to it. It will be great because of the vuvuzela!

By
Richard Mabbott
SVP, Planning
GyroHSR London

“Run Glasson Run” was born out of Richard’s determination to honour his mother’s legacy after losing her to cancer last summer. As part of his challenge Richard has already raced the toughest section of the Tour de France and completed an IronMan 70.3 Triathlon. After running the New York City Marathon on Sunday, he will be tasked with tackling the madness of the Hellrunner cross-country ordeal, before rounding things off in December with the off-road Helly Hansen Adventure Race.

Commenting on Richard’s challenge, Katy Chaytor, of Macmillan Cancer Support said “Richard’s legacy to his mother couldn’t be more impressive. When he recovers from his exhaustion, he should be very proud that his efforts will help so many others affected by cancer to the practical, emotional and financial support that Macmillan provides. Richard’s hard work will mean the difference between a good and a bad day for many cancer patients and we hope he’ll receive plenty of support for such an ambitious fundraiser!”

To give a donation to Richard’s extraordinary challenge please visit www.justgiving.com/glasson

By
Patrick Danaher
Marketing Manager
GyroHSR