Sussex farmer nets £100,000 for leading UK charity after lifetime of fundraising

21 August 2013

Farmer spurred into action following harrowing TV reports of Ethiopian famine in 1984

A Sussex farmer will next week cycle 78 miles from his farm near Hastings to London to celebrate both his 60th birthday and a lifetime of fundraising that has generated more than £100,000 for the charity Farm Africa.

The bike ride will complete the final stage in an astonishing hat-trick of major fundraising challenges undertaken this year by Tim Jury for the charity which is tackling hunger by providing farmers with skills and tools so they can grow more food. At the end of the ride Tim will hand over a cheque for all the money he has raised this year.

In June the fundraising supremo ran the entire 69 mile length of Hadrian’s Wall in an unbelievable time of 21 hours and 18 minutes; and in April he followed up his ‘ultra-marathon’ with the relatively simple matter of a mere 26 miles in the London Marathon, choosing to make the event a little more challenging by running it in a chicken outfit.

But what makes Tim’s recent fundraising triumphs all the more remarkable is that they cap an incredible 26 years of extraordinary commitment. Whether it’s been the annual staging of carol concerts, barn dances and horse rides for Africa, or half marathons in Kenyan game parks, the 60 year old has never shirked an opportunity to raise funds and awareness of Farm Africa among his local community.

A life-changing moment

It was after watching a harrowing series of reports by the BBC’s Michael Buerke on the 1984 Ethiopian famine that Tim decided he had to do whatever he could to help tackle hunger in eastern Africa.

Years later, explaining his decades-long commitment to supporting smallholder farmers struggling to grow enough food for their families and communities in some of the most challenging conditions on earth, Tim commented:

“They are as important as anyone living next door and it is an absolute tragedy that they have been neglected. It is not aid they lack, but the basic resources to feed themselves.”

He has seen with his own eyes the life-changing effect of Farm Africa’s work during a visit he made to one of the charity’s projects in Ethiopia:

“What I saw on the ground [in Ethiopia] it wasn’t just the gratitude that was awe-inspiring, but seeing the dignity of those people being able to look after themselves thanks to Farm Africa’s work helping them to grow food more effectively.”

Looking forward to welcoming Tim to the office after his bike ride next week, Farm Africa’s Director of Fundraising and Communications Pam Williams-Jones said:

“Tim’s commitment to fundraising and raising awareness of our work over such a long period of time is simply extraordinary. He is an inspiration, not just to us but to all those looking to make a difference through supporting a charity. I’d like to extend the gratitude of all Farm Africa staff and the communities we work with on the ground to Tim for everything he has done and is doing. And of course, we’d like to wish him a very happy birthday!”

Ends

Images of Tim are available on request.

For more information please contact the Farm Africa Press Office:

Matt Whitticase, 020 7067 1237 / mattheww@farmafrica.org

Laura Oakley,    020 7067 1252 /laurao@farmafrica.org

Notes to Editor:

About Farm Africa

Farm Africa supports farmers living at subsistence level, constantly at risk of crop failure, to build food and income security so that they can grow a better and reliable future for their families.

By focusing on ‘climate smart’ agricultural and forestry techniques, building market links and adding value to production, Farm Africa unleashes the entrepreneurial abilities of the farmers and rural communities they work with.

This is the time to turn challenge into opportunity for African farmers. Farm Africa believes passionately that smallholders can and will play a key role in achieving rural prosperity in Africa.