Running for Lotus Outreach

By Dan Leak

Firstly thank you so much to everyone who supported me throughout my somewhat amateur and haphazard training for my run last Saturday. I was touched by the generosity of those who sponsored me, gave me advice and took the time to help spread awareness of what I was doing. This generosity only confirmed to me what an inspiring organisation Lotus Outreach is and the very evident dedication its staff and supporters have is testament to that.

Erika asked if I would write about my fundraising run and what inspired me to do it in aid of Lotus Outreach. As I presume you are reading this on the Lotus Outreach website, there is no need for me to repeat again what amazing work this charity does. That speaks for itself and is well documented here.

Dan at Silbury Hill in 2010

My own personal interest, however, stems from a meeting of two slightly different streams; from wanting in some small way to offer support to the vast vision of its original founder, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche as well as having had the urge for a number of years to do something practical to help combat the outrage of human trafficking.

A few years ago, in Nepal, I came across a shop in Thamel which is run by an organization which provides support for young women who had been caught up in sex trafficking by teaching them skills to make handicrafts and then providing employment in the production of these goods. This inspired me so much. I bought a whole load of goods to sell in England, but it also set my mind into making plans to attempt to take the law into my own hands and to go to a brothel in the infamous GB road in Delhi, where I’d heard some girls can end up, and ‘rescue’ a girl and support her education and welfare. A terribly naive and ill thought out plan, which could have compromised everyone’s safety. Whilst with hindsight I’m glad it never came into fruition, I think it came from a reasonably good motivation.

So still having retained that motivation but having shelved a little of the naiveté, I find that the work of Lotus Outreach really inspires me, and felt drawn to helping with fundraising. I can support a cause I feel strongly drawn to support, knowing that the projects that Lotus Outreach funds and organizes are well thought out, sustainable, safe and truly beneficial. Qualities that my impulsive idea was missing.

Thus I was inspired to raise money for Lotus Outreach by running 33 miles across the hills of the South West of the UK last Saturday. It was an enjoyable day, despite having a few 'moments', an ‘ultra’ race across an exquisitely beautiful part of the country, steeped in Neolithic history. The Marlborough Downs is the location of key settlements and sites built in the ancient times of Goddess and Lunar worship. One plausible theory is that various sites around that area represented a composite figure of the Goddess and at different parts of the year, festivals would be held at sites representing different parts of her form, such as Avebury as the heart, Silbury Hill as the belly and Tan Hill as the head. I don’t want to get too fanciful here, but there was something poignant about running across this very feminine landscape in order to raise money for a charity that aims to protect and nurture vulnerable women and children. Below are a couple of photos of parts of the route.

Between two fundraising pages on two sites, First Giving and Just Giving, people have been kind enough to donate around £1000/$1600 dollars so far which is around 70% of my target. Thank you. The pages are open to taking donations for the next couple of months, so it would be great if the target could be reached. Just Giving is for sterling, and First Giving is for dollars.

Milk Hill







The Marlborough Downs



Interested in planning your own run for Lotus Outreach? Contact info@lotusoutreach.org or visit http://lotusoutreach.org/run.php to get started.