News & Resources The Blog: Sound of Silence - 22nd March 2011
The Blog: Sound of Silence - 22nd March 2011
Well folks I did it! 30 hours of sponsored silence done. It was hard but fun – with lots of warm fuzzy feelings to boot. But most exciting of all is that I have raised over £1,000 to help some of the poorest people in India find a route out of poverty. That’s enough money to set up ten poor women in Punjab, India on to LifeBuilder’s Dairy Enterprise Scheme or get 40 women on to LifeBuilder’s literacy programme – giving them the ability to read and write for their first time in their life. So a big wonderful thank you to EVERYONE who sponsored me – we really have done something that will change lives. If you want to make an even bigger impact you can still sponsor me at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/FloraWilliamson
So what was it like to be silent for 30 hours? Interesting has to be my answer – have you ever had to explain through the art of mime and a whiteboard what is wrong with your email IP address? Thought not –well its hard, tiring and requires some resourceful use of written words. Have you ever had to try to order your lunch without speaking? Needless to say I ended up with a different lunch to the one I wanted. The silence wasn’t made much easier by my “kind” friends when they tickled me with a feather duster, made me eat some crickets and hardest of all forced me to watch question time without being able to shriek my opinion.
But overall the silence was really good fun – if only for some of the moments of comedy – such as accidentally touching a commuters inner thigh and my chaperone having to apologise on my behalf (something I am working hard to see if I can introduce in my talking life – other people apologising on my behalf)
It was entertaining watching my friends feeling a bit uncomfortable that the wall of noise and opinion that is me was being all silent and a good listener – something which if I’m honest possible won’t be happening again anytime soon.
Would I do it again? Possible not – but I would tell anyone wanting to do such a challenge DO IT. I felt great afterwards knowing that I had done something hard which was a personal challenge to me – something which many of my friends and family thought I could not do. But what made it feel great is that I really have managed to do something change some of the poorest people in India’s lives around. If you want some ideas of how you could raise some money and how to do it you can have a look at our fundraising ideas or even better contact us.
But finally THANK YOU so much to everyone for their support. For your entertainment I have posted a video below of the start of my silence. If you haven't sponsored me yet please do at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/FloraWilliamson
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