Hello!
I’m in my Global Travel Bag somewhere between Brisbane, Australia and Portsmouth, UK. I’m hoping to be back in time for the Tea-Themed Beach Party tomorrow afternoon – I’m the guest of honour!! My P.A. has a few thoughts on tomorrow, my globetrotting and our awesomeness! I’ll let her tell you what those thoughts are!
Hi,
Well, this is all a bit bittersweet. In the past year, I have become very aware that our newer Foggy Followers know very little about how ME Foggy Dog came about, what/who Foggy is (*Foggy* PARDON?!!) or about the work we did prior to the pandemic. It has to be acknowledged that our work massively changed as a direct result of the pandemic. For the first few years post-2020 international travel was simply not possible so I concentrated on political advocacy instead of fundraising. Juggling my own newly-acquired Long COVID (Fibro and MCAS) with my M.E and managing two social enterprises meant that I wasn’t in the right headspace for fun and adventure either.
I made light of it in the moment but was slightly ‘hurt’ when people I have been closely working with or chatting to this year said they didn’t ‘get’ what I do with Foggy. But then I realised they only ‘found’ ME Foggy Dog after 2020. I took it personally, only in that ME Foggy Dog is me, Foggy is me, so when people don’t ‘get it’ I know it’s because of something I have/haven’t done. So to established Followers from pre-pandemic days, I’m so sorry. I obviously haven’t been doing the ‘fun’ very well over the past 4 years, everything went a bit Pete Tong in 2020.
It also feels as if the world has moved on, possibly temporarily, from cute and fluffy fundraising. The world seems a lot more hardened than pre-2020.
I have taken the decision to stop Foggy’s global adventuring. But be assured Foggy isn’t ‘going anywhere’…he’ll still be campaigning but in a different format (and possibly not fundraising again). It now costs more money and takes twice as long for him to reach destinations so it’s not ‘cost effective’ either.
Something I don’t think many ‘get’ is that running the Foggy Global Challenge has been a year-long logistical challenge, it’s not easy and requires a lot of energy. I think the lack of understanding that this is my version of a marathon is reflected in the donation total which, as I sit and type this, stands at £1125 plus Gift aid. This is the lowest amount ME Foggy Dog has ever raised during a year-long challenge.
I had so many plans to mark our 10 year anniversary of M.E. campaigning but for one reason or another they just haven’t happened. So tomorrow, my family, Foggy and I will be heading to the beach where Foggy’s globetrotting first began back in 2014. It’ll finish where it started, with a few photos being taken on a pebbly beach in the afternoon before the tide comes in. I hope local M.E.eps/their families will pop along to have a chat and join in the photo fun! (we have inflatables!). See the Portsmouth/Southsea event here.
I have a decade of fond memories of Foggy’s exploits, I remember every single Foggy-sitter, destination, cockpit visit, and celeb cuddle (Foggy not me! Lucky moo). I also remember every single person with M.E. who has engaged and loved Foggy’s travel exploits as much as I do. Jeanne-Marie in France and Nigel in the UK- I see you xx
Without going all ‘Oscars’, thank you to every single person who has Followed ME Foggy Dog since 2014, we have achieved a lot with barely any funds and that is an achievement in itself! Your support has kept me going and continues to spur me on to new pastures with Foggy.
BED for severe M.E. is coming and I will write about that another day, this blog is all about Foggy (as it should be as his campaign draws to a close).
Thank you for your support.
Love Sally
(and Foggy, obviously)
xxxxx
If you want to donate and help us to end on a high tomorrow, you can donate here Thank you.
