June 9: World Buskers' Day

If you hear a busker on Sunday, June 9, please give generously. The performance will probably be in aid of World Buskers' Day, promoted by gifted London violinist David Juritz, who established a foundation called EquiMusic, to bring music to some of the worlld's most underprivileged children.

I wrote a story about David when he visited Sydney a year ago, during a world tour. You can read it at http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=381150&rel_no=1

David has now sent me this press release:


MUSEQUALITY WORLD BUSK TO HELP REBUILD
MUSIC SCHOOLS IN HAITI HIT BY EARTHQUAKE


The second Musequality World Busk will take place from 7 to 13 June, 2010 when musicians throughout the world will take to the streets to raise money for music projects in developing countries. Musicians in North, Central and South America will raise $50,000 to help reconstruct music schools in Haiti destroyed by the country’s worst earthquake for 200 years.

The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January killed more than 200,000 people and left an estimated 1.2 million homeless. In Léogâne, close to the epicentre, 90% of all buildings were destroyed, while in Port au Prince, the shock reduced homes, hospitals, schools and government buildings to rubble. Before the quake, Haiti had a flourishing music education system but the Holy Trinity Music School, Haiti's premier conservatoire, was among several music schools destroyed in what was already the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Tragically, some teachers and students died and those who survived now need help to rebuild their schools.

All contributions to Musequality’s US donations site between 1 May and 31 July will go towards the rebuilding programme. The first $50,000 will be shared between Instrumental Change and the Holy Trinity Music School reconstruction fund. “Should we raise more than $50,000 Musequality will establish a team to ensure that the extra money is used in the most effective manner,” said violinist David Juritz, who who launched Musequality in 2007 by busking around the world.

The first Musequality World Busk in 2009 raised nearly £15,000 and involved musicians on every continent -- including Antarctica. On Sunday 14 June, 483 musicians around the globe struck up at 12 noon local time to set a record for the largest co-ordinated busk the world as ever seen..

“As well as raising a substantial amount of money, the World Busk is enormous fun,” said Juritz. “This year we are asking musicians throughout the Americas to help rebuild and restore music schools in Haiti. It’s a cause we’re passionately committed to and we’re confident of their generous effort and support”

Participants elsewhere will be raising money to support Musequality’s other projects in the developing world such as the Elgon Youth Brass Band in Mbale, Eastern Uganda, which cares for 60 orphaned children. “Just over a year ago a young man sent us an application for funding. Fredrick Kyewalyanga was determined to set up a group and had clearly thought through how he was going to go about it. He couldn’t afford to post the letter but found someone to deliver it to us by hand,” said Juritz. Thanks to Frederick’s effort and support from one of London’s livery companies, the Girdlers’ Company, “we have been able to buy instruments for the Elgon Youth Brass Band, find a home for the band, buy bunk beds and mattresses, pay teachers’ salaries and provide food.”

Juritz added: “Music not only unites the world, crossing cultures and divides, but also creates opportunities around the world. Our main aim is not to produce professional musicians, but young people with the self-confidence and ambition to become the scientists, teachers, doctors and community leaders who will help shape their own societies’ future. We believe that, particularly in troubled communities, where power is all too often achieved through coercion and exploitation, music education offers a powerful alternative philosophy of leadership through responsibility and sharing. While the educational benefits of music education are well demonstrated by many studies, research on the social benefits of childhood involvement in music programmes shows equally striking results. And that’s why we believe that funding music education is a great investment in the futures both of children and of communities.

“We’ve launched this annual world busk specifically to raise funds to expand our existing communal music-making projects and to set up new projects for disadvantaged children in developing countries. We are not asking anyone to give more than they can afford. But if they can toss a coin or two into a Musequality busker’s music case, and listen for a few moments, they will be helping us turn round the lives of children who might otherwise only ever be seen as a problem. If you can’t donate to a busker, of if you would like your donation to go further by Gift Aiding it in the UK, please donate at www.justgiving.com/worldbusk2010.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:


● Musequality, a social change charity, sets up and supports communal music-making projects for disadvantaged children in developing countries, giving them the self-belief and skills they need to turn their lives around. It was founded in 2007 by professional violinist David Juritz, leader of the London Mozart Players, when he busked around the world, playing on pavements, in parks and plazas in 50 cities in 24 countries on every continent except Antarctica to kickstart the charity’s funding. Musequality supports projects in South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Thailand and India.


● See who is busking where on our interactive world map: www.worldbusk.org/bigmap.php


● Photos are available of the World Busk 2009. Please email press@musequality.org


● Donations are welcome on: http://www.justgiving.com/worldbusk2010


● Information about the Musequality World Busk: www.worldbusk.org


● Information about Musequality: www.musequality.org


For more information please contact:

David Juritz: Mobile: +44 (0)7973 343314 or Tel: +44 (0)20 8747 4869 david@musequality.org
Jean Buck: Mobile: +44 (0)779 - 475 4560 jean@musequality.org




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Registered charity No. 1119308
Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 6216146

David Juritz


david@musequality.org


+44 (0)7973 343 314
+44 (0)20 8747 4869






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Funding music projects that change young lives

For information about Musequality: www.musequality.org
For information about the Musequality World Busk: www.worldbusk.org
Donate to Musequality www.justgiving.com/worldBusk2010


Registered charity No. 1119308
Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 6216146


106 Woodstock Rd
London
W4 1EG


+44 (0)7973 343 314
+44 (0)20 8747 4869



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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PRESS RELEASE

Release Time: 07.30 on Monday, 26 May 2010


MUSEQUALITY WORLD BUSK TO HELP REBUILD
MUSIC SCHOOLS IN HAITI HIT BY EARTHQUAKE


The second Musequality World Busk will take place from 7 to 13 June,
2010 when musicians throughout the world will take to the streets to
raise money for music projects in developing countries. Musicians in
North, Central and South America will raise $50,000 to help
reconstruct music schools in Haiti destroyed by the country’s worst
earthquake for 200 years.

The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January killed more
than 200,000 people and left an estimated 1.2 million homeless. In
Léogâne, close to the epicentre, 90% of all buildings were destroyed,
while in Port au Prince, the shock reduced homes, hospitals, schools
and government buildings to rubble. Before the quake, Haiti had a
flourishing music education system but the Holy Trinity Music School,
Haiti's premier conservatoire, was among several music schools
destroyed in what was already the poorest country in the western
hemisphere. Tragically, some teachers and students died and those who
survived now need help to rebuild their schools.

All contributions to Musequality’s US donations site between 1 May
and 31 July will go towards the rebuilding programme. The first
$50,000 will be shared between Instrumental Change and the Holy
Trinity Music School reconstruction fund. “Should we raise more than
$50,000 Musequality will establish a team to ensure that the extra
money is used in the most effective manner,” said violinist David
Juritz, who who launched Musequality in 2007 by busking around the
world.

The first Musequality World Busk in 2009 raised nearly £15,000 and
involved musicians on every continent -- including Antarctica. On
Sunday 14 June, 483 musicians around the globe struck up at 12 noon
local time to set a record for the largest co-ordinated busk the world
as ever seen..

“As well as raising a substantial amount of money, the World Busk is
enormous fun,” said Juritz. “This year we are asking musicians
throughout the Americas to help rebuild and restore music schools in
Haiti. It’s a cause we’re passionately committed to and we’re
confident of their generous effort and support”

Participants elsewhere will be raising money to support Musequality’s
other projects in the developing world such as the Elgon Youth Brass
Band in Mbale, Eastern Uganda, which cares for 60 orphaned children.
“Just over a year ago a young man sent us an application for funding.
Fredrick Kyewalyanga was determined to set up a group and had clearly
thought through how he was going to go about it. He couldn’t afford
to post the letter but found someone to deliver it to us by hand,”
said Juritz. Thanks to Frederick’s effort and support from one of
London’s livery companies, the Girdlers’ Company, “we have been
able to buy instruments for the Elgon Youth Brass Band, find a home
for the band, buy bunk beds and mattresses, pay teachers’ salaries
and provide food.”

Juritz added: “Music not only unites the world, crossing cultures and
divides, but also creates opportunities around the world. Our main aim
is not to produce professional musicians, but young people with the
self-confidence and ambition to become the scientists, teachers,
doctors and community leaders who will help shape their own
societies’ future. We believe that, particularly in troubled
communities, where power is all too often achieved through coercion
and exploitation, music education offers a powerful alternative
philosophy of leadership through responsibility and sharing. While the
educational benefits of music education are well demonstrated by many
studies, research on the social benefits of childhood involvement in
music programmes shows equally striking results. And that’s why we
believe that funding music education is a great investment in the
futures both of children and of communities.

“We’ve launched this annual world busk specifically to raise funds
to expand our existing communal music-making projects and to set up
new projects for disadvantaged children in developing countries. We
are not asking anyone to give more than they can afford. But if they
can toss a coin or two into a Musequality busker’s music case, and
listen for a few moments, they will be helping us turn round the lives
of children who might otherwise only ever be seen as a problem. If you
can’t donate to a busker, of if you would like your donation to go
further by Gift Aiding it in the UK, please donate at www.justgiving.com/worldbusk2010
.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:


● Musequality, a social change charity, sets up and
supports communal music-making projects for disadvantaged children in
developing countries, giving them the self-belief and skills they need
to turn their lives around. It was founded in 2007 by professional
violinist David Juritz, leader of the London Mozart Players, when he
busked around the world, playing on pavements, in parks and plazas in
50 cities in 24 countries on every continent except Antarctica to
kickstart the charity’s funding. Musequality supports projects in
South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Thailand and India.


● See who is busking where on our interactive world map: www.worldbusk.org/bigmap.p
hp


● Photos are available of the World Busk 2009. Please email press@musequality.o
rg


● Donations are welcome on: http://www.justgiving.com/worldbusk20
10


● Information about the Musequality World Busk: www.worldbusk.o
rg


● Information about Musequality: www.musequality.org


For more information please contact:

David Juritz: Mobile: +44 (0)7973 343314 or Tel: +44 (0)20 8747 4869 david@musequality.org
Jean Buck: Mobile: +44 (0)779 - 475 4560 jean@musequality.org



Registered charity No. 1119308
Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No.
6216146

David Juritz

david@musequality.org

+44 (0)7973 343 314
+44 (0)20 8747 4869




Funding music projects that change young lives

For information about Musequality: www.musequality.org
For information about the Musequality World Busk: www.worldbusk.org
Donate to Musequality www.justgiving.com/worldBusk2010

Registered charity No. 1119308
Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No.
6216146

106 Woodstock Rd
London
W4 1EG

+44 (0)7973 343 314
+44 (0)20 8747 4869

William Bligh had kidney stones

William Bligh had kidney stones.

The Bouty Voyage Re-anactment has just sailed safely past Resolution Island, on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Her four-man crew, led by Tasmanian adventurer Don McIntyre, is being filmed for world TV screening.

The original Captain Bligh had a short fuse, and swore profusely. Can you visualise him squatting over the side of his small open boat, as he relieved himself while the boat lurched from side to side?

HMS Resolution was a sloop of the Royal Navy, and the ship in which Captain James Cook made his second and third voyages of exploration in the Pacific. She impressed him enough that he called her "the ship of my choice", and "the fittest for service of any I have seen."

It was probably about the same size as Captin William Bligh's boat,but it carried many more sails.

Open letter to Jessica Watson

As I right these words I'm watching u arriving in Sydney after sailing around the world alone in a tiny boat.

Arrival in Sydney

THIS IS AN OPEN LETTER TO JESSICA WATSON.

As I right these words I'm watching u arriving in Sydney after sailing around the world alone in a small boat. Congratulations! Thoousands of Sydneysiders are lining the foreshores to see your arrival, and all five TV stations are showing your tiny boat, Ella's Pink Lady.

I'd like to tell u that ur a different woman from the intrepid 16-year-old who sailed from Sydney a few months ago. u have grown up.

Apart from inspiring children all over the world by proving that if you put your mind to it, u can achieve almost anything. But who would listen to a 91-year-old geezer(or even an old fart)? And, as UNO, we all fart. Sum say everyone farts 37 times a day U must have found it particularly Mbarrassing in your confined quarters

I b leave ima member of your support team, having emailed you once or twice b4.

P.S. I'm watching Knot 1, but all 5 of our TV channels although knot @ the same time.

BTW UR saling close to the wind these days. Do U no the origin of that phrase?

PPS. When I first tried 2 send this mess age 2U, I had 2 rite the words witz edip, which sounds like wits edit!

And I'm a copy editor for Anu Garg's A Word A Daynews letter which he sends five days a week to more than 900,000 wordlovers in 200 coutries.

P.P.P.S.

Seriously, I hope my two - nay, thousand - of readers adopt a suggestion that they eat the same rations today that the TBB (The Bligh Bount voyage re-enactment crew) do, then estimate the cost of the meal, and send that amount to SIF (Sheffield Institute for Neuroscience).

Bounty Voyage Renacted

Here's the latest news from Don McIntyre, the Tasmanian adventurer who is leading the Bounty Voyage Re-enactment.

The four-man crew has landed on an island near Nai Nai, Fiji, after nearly running into a dangerous reef. A presnter from the Australian ABC's "Early Morning Show" will interview Don next week:

What a beautiful island we are at. We pulled the anchor, rowed ashore and tied a line to a coconut tree. We've been trying to catch fish all day, get some more drinking coconuts and have rigged the sails to trees to catch water but no rain yet. We have a fire ready for the fish. Everyone is very lethargic, no energy but we have some repairs to make and reorganisation before we set off - probably in two days.

I will let the crew tell you their impressions. This is a grand adventure and Bligh was a great man...Don from Nai Nai, Fiji

I knew it was going to be a big night on Tuesday and it was. All afternoon we had been sailing toward an island and decided just as I sent the last blog to sail down the windward side as it was getting dark. Seas were big. I was on the helm and about two miles down wind I saw the surf line. We were sailing fast downwind straight for it so altered course 60 degrees to starboard but the reef continued out ...It was all eyes in the cockpit and the seas really started to build. Two sets around 6mtrs came through and I was forced to ride them downwind at 12-15kts. It was exhilarating but we were then sailing straight for the reef! Slowly we crept around the edge which looked to extend about four miles out. We all thought we were pretty dumb as we know about reefs but for some reason we just missed the obvious...it was dark - very dark.

After tha we had to use the compass and I decided to allow torches also as things were getting tough. About five hours later in the dark a BIG island appeared as a shadow to starboard. We could not tell how close we were as we did not know how high it was. Was it a little island close or a big island far off?

Wind was 25-30kts and seas still around 4 to five mtrs. I had just gone off watch when Quilter called out. "TED I HAVE BREAKERS DEAD AHEAD!"

I grabbed my harness/lifejacket and jumped up. They were close and the boat was already rounded up to port hard on the wind and waves. The surf was only a few hundred metres away downwind of us.

You could see the phosphorescence in the water and we thought we could hear the thud of the surf above the noise of the sails and boat!! It was a tense time.

I grabbed for the emergency GPS chart plotter as this was very serious with no idea where the reef line would go. Within minutes I had it up and running but it seemed like forever. It showed us still on the reef line but it was only another 300 mtrs to the edge and we would sail clear which is what we did.

This really made us realise what Bligh had done - was this nuts or what? We were doing this as volunteers - no chart, no nav aids. We had to sail at about 5-7 kts to stay safe in these seas and we were sailing downwind which means if you come across a danger it appears fast.

Anyway we all agreed that if Quilter had not seen the surf it would all have been over in much less than two minutes - it was that close!! Maybe someone was looking over us?

We could not sleep easily because of that and the weather with many little challenges during the night. I was happy to see the light of day but then we could see the size of the waves. It had been building all night and now they took on a different shape - more confused and nasty. We were regularly surfing into the teens and averaging maybe 7kts.

Talisker Bounty Boat is an amazing vessel and was handling it all very well. We were bailing out every 15 minutes and it was challenging to do the simplest things onboard but I continue to look at what we have and how well we are coping rather than the things we do not have or discomforts. If you start with nothing everything after that is a bonus, hey!

All the crew are working as a team so things are going well. When I was on watch at 12 noon, I was surprised at the sea. In the previous 4 hours the waves had become very confused and occasionally big - 6 or 7 metres.

Wind was now up to 35kts at times and higher in the squalls so we decided we weere now in a gale. We were headed north into the gap between the main Fiji Island and Bligh Passage which is littered with reefs.

Our plan had been to go slow during the night even stopping and drifting and to sail during the day so we could see the reefs and islands, but there was no way we could do that with this weather so we were headed up into a dead end gully.

At 12.40 while I was on the helm a huge set loomed up. I had a problem as a squall had just gone through and the wind was only about 25kts.. We were sailing with a deep reefed main only, the headsail and mizzen both lashed.

The first wave hit the boat from the starboard side. I called for the guys to standby for wave! Then out of the blue as we were recovering from that another hit us right out of sequence. This one broke right beside us and right over us.

I was watching it all in slow motion. The mast went down to water level and for a minute I thought it may go right over and we would have to put our training into practice! But no - she came up fast which was a delight to see.

I called everyone to man the buckets. The aft part of the hull was full and just about awash. While they all got to it I turned the boat downwind and within about 6 minutes most of the water was out. I was looking over my shoulder not wanting another big one!!

Everything down below is tied in but still flew around. I dislocated my little toe and took a big hit to my side.

Fortunately there were no other injuries, a little damage to solar panels again and water into out books onboard which is a mini disaster. We all reflected that it was a good exercise and showed the boat has what it takes. We were all very wet but at least we were not swimming.

Conditions remained very challenging all the rest of the day...I made a decision that afternoon to again use the GPS chart plotter as we were running into danger with heavy winds and big seas behind us - not good for any sailor.

So again I have to concede that Bligh is a bigger man than me.

So Wednesday night saw us ride through the entrance of Bligh Waters with the aid of a GPS and turn left heading to a little island called NaiGai where we dropped anchor around midnight.

Everyone was relieved. I had only had a few hours sleep in the past 48 hours. We were all hungry and have not been able to catch rain water so now on 1ltr a day. I am bruised and battered but very happy about the rest of the voyage. TBB and the crew are now one!

This morning I woke after a 5 hour sleep to see what a beautiful island we are at. We pulled the anchor, rowed ashore and tied a line to a coconut tree. We've been trying to catch fish all day, get some more drinking coconuts and have rigged the sails to trees to catch water but no rain yet. We have a fire ready for the fish.

Everyone is very lethargic, no energy but we have some repairs to make and reorganisation before we set off - probably in two days.

I will let the crew tell you their impressions. This is a grand adventure and Bligh was a great man...Don from Nai Nai,Fiji.

To contact any member of the crew, send an email to Don Keane at this address:

Bligh of the Bounty (continued)

Here's the latest news from Don McIntyre, the Tasmanian adventurer who is leading the Bounty Voyage Re-enactment. The four-man crew has landed on an island near Nai Nai, Fiji, after nearly running into a dangerous reef.

A presnter from the Australian ABC's Early Morning Show will interview Don next week:

What a beautiful island we are at. We pulled the anchor, rowed ashore and tied a line to a coconut tree. We've been trying to catch fish all day, get some more drinking coconuts and have rigged the sails to trees to catch water but no rain yet. We have a fire ready for the fish. Everyone is very lethargic, no energy but we have some repairs to make and reorganisation before we set off - probably in two days.


I will let the crew tell you their impressions. This is a grand adventure and Bligh was a great man...Don from Nai Nai, Fiji

I knew it was going to be a big night on Tuesday and it was. All afternoon we had been sailing toward an island and decided just as I sent the last blog to sail down the windward side as it was getting dark. Seas were big. I was on the helm and about two miles down wind I saw the surf line. We were sailing fast downwind straight for it so altered course 60 degrees to starboard but the reef continued out ...It was all eyes in the cockpit and the seas really started to build. Two sets around 6mtrs came through and I was forced to ride them downwind at 12-15kts. It was exhilarating but we were then sailing straight for the reef! Slowly we crept around the edge which looked to extend about four miles out. We all thought we were pretty dumb as we know about reefs but for some reason we just missed the obvious...it was dark - very dark.

After that and we had to use the compass and I decided to allow torches also as things were getting tough. About five hours later in the dark a BIG island appeared as a shadow to starboard. We could not tell how close we were as we did not know how high it was. Was it a little island close or a big island far off? Wind was 25-30kts and seas still around 4 to five metres. I had just gone off watch whenQuilter called out, "TED I HAVE BREAKERS DEAD AHEAD!" I grabbed my harness/lifejacket and jumped up.

They were close and the boat was already rounded up to port hard on the wind and waves. The surf was only a few hundred metres away downwind of us. You could see the phosphorescence in the water and we thought we could hear the thud of the surf above the noise of the sails and boat!! It was a tense time.

I grabbed for the emergency GPS chart plotter as this was very serious with no ideawhere the reef line would go. Within minutes I had it up and running but it seemed like forever. It showed us still on the reef line but it was only another 300 mtrs to the edge and we would sail clear which is what we did. This really made us realise what Bligh had done - was this nuts or what? We were doing this as volunteers - no chart, no nav aids. We had to sail at about 5-7 kts to stay safe in these seas and we were sailing downwind which means if you come across a danger it appears fast. Anyway we all agreed that if Quilter had not seen the surf it would all have been over in much less than two minutes - it was that close!! Maybe someone was looking over us?

We could not sleep easily because of that and the weather with many little challenges during the night. I was happy to see the light of day but then we couldsee the size of the waves. It had been building all night and now they took on a different shape - more confused and nasty. We were regularly surfing into the teensand averaging maybe 7kts. Talisker Bounty Boat is an amazing vessel and was handling it all very well. We were bailing out every 15 minutes and hey!

All the crew are working as a team so things are going well. When I was on watch at 12 noon, I was surprised at the sea. In the previous 4 hours the waves had become very confused and occasionally big - 6 or 7 mtrs. Wind was now up to 35kts at times and higher in the squalls so we decided we were now in a gale. We were headed north into the gap between the main Fiji Island and Bligh Passage which is littered with reefs. Our plan had been to go slow during the night even stopping and drifting and to sail during the day so we could see the reefs and islands but there was no way we could do that with this weather so we were headed up into a dead end gully. At 12.40 while I was on the helm a huge set loomed up. I had a problem as a squallhad justgone through and the wind was only about 25kts.. We eresailingwithadeepreefedmain only, the headsail and mizzen both lashed.


The first wave hit the boat from the starboard side. I called for the guys to standby for wave! Then out of the blue as we were recovering from thait was challenging to do the simplest things onboard but I continue to look at what wehaveand how well we are coping rather than the things we do not have or discomforts. Ifyou startwithnothing everything after that is a bonus,t another hit us right out of sequence. This one broke right beside us and right over us. I was watching it all in slow motion. The mast went down to water level and for a minute I thought it may go right over and we would have to put our training into practice! But no - she came up fast which was a delight to see. I called everyone to man the buckets. The aft part of the hull was full and just about awash. While they all got to it I turned the boat downwind and within about 6 minutes most of the water was out. I was looking over my shoulder not wanting another big one!! Everything down below is tied in but still flew around. I dislocated my little toe and took a big hit to my side. Fortunately there were no other injuries, a little damage to solar panels again and water into out books onboard which is a mini disaster. We all reflected that it was a good exercise and showed the boat has what it takes. We were all very wet but at least we were not swimming.


Conditions remained very challenging all the rest of the day...I made a decision that afternoon to again use the GPS chart plotter as we were running into danger with heavy winds and big seas behind us - not good for any sailor. So again I have to concede that Bligh is a bigger man than me. So Wednesday night saw us ride through the entrance of Bligh Waters with the aid of a GPS and turn left heading to a little island called NaiGai where we dropped anchor around midnight. Everyone was relieved. I had only had a few hours sleep in the past 48 hours. We were all hungry and have not been able to catch rain water so now on 1ltr a day. I am bruised and battered but very happy about the rest of the voyage. TBB and the crew are now one!

This morning I woke after a 5 hour sleep to see what a beautiful island we are at. We pulled the anchor, rowed ashore and tied a line to a coconut tree. We've been trying to catch fish all day, get some more drinking coconuts and have rigged the sails to trees to catch water but no rain yet. We have a fire ready for the fish.

Everyone is very lethargic, no energy but we have some repairs to make and reorganisation before we set off - probably in two days.

I will let the crew tell you their impressions. This is a grand adventure and Bligh was a great man...Don from Nai Nai, Fiji.

You can contact any member of the crew by sending an email to Stuart Keane@talktalk.net

Stuart has had a varied and interesting career. I googled his name, and found this bio:

Former Professional Rugby League Player,The first Pro R.L. player to break his Neck, Be Paralyzed and Play Professionally again!(1959). Ran a leisure company which exported to 54 country's ,sold out because of health issues in the early 90s. Became a Patron of the Sheffield Institute Foundation in 2007 after my eldest son Shaun was diagnosed with Motor Nuerone Disease. Shaun died in January this year,aged 40 years young.Leaving a wife and three young daughters,aged 7,9 & 11. With the help of my wife Lynn and daughter Danielle I am now concentrating even more in helping the other great Patrons of SIF raising the last few £millions needed to create theworld's first dedicated research cenrer in to MND.also known as Lou Gerhigs, & ALS. My Nickname in my business life was"The Kentucky Kid" I had a product that became world famous called "The Kentucky Derby" it was a game of skill that was sold to Theme Parks. In my photograph displayed perched on my right shoulder is my Parrot "Tali-Talisker" he informs me that he is 231 years old and that he went on the original TBB all those years ago? Would you believe him?