Stephen Tall is making good on what turned out to be an ill-advised pledge in 2013 that he would run naked down Whitehall if the Liberal Democrats got 24 seats in this year’s General Election. He has decided that others should benefit from his immodesty and is raising money for Medecins Sans Frontieres. The charity will already be benefiting from £5000 promised by Kelvin Mackenzie, the former editor of the Sun, on live television last week. Stephen has set up a JustGiving page to augment that sum.
You can find out more about the amazing work that MSF does here on its website. I was particularly moved by this post where former MSF emergency co-ordinator wrote about the people she met while working on MSF’s search and rescue vessel. Here she tells the story of 17 year old Sako:
He had been in Libya for five years, and he had seen it fall into lawless anarchy and violence. His uncle who brought him there, died. His best friend died last year after a child soldier, about the same age as him, hit him in the head with a steel bar. He didn’t die immediately; it took a long time before he gave up. There are no hospitals.
“Child soldier my age.” Suddenly it struck me how young he looked. “17,” he said with a big smile. My mind spun again. So he was 11 when he arrived in Libya? He is still a minor, even though he has seen and survived more than any man I know has in a lifetime.
I explained how in Europe you are still a child until you are 18 and that if he wanted I will make sure he gets off together with all the other minors we had on board.
He nodded. Looked down. Suddenly he looked like a child after all.
You can’t help but be moved by those real stories of real people.
Now, Stephen is already almost half way to his initial £1000 target after just 24 hours. Surely, surely Liberal Democrat Voice readers can’t be outdone by Kelvin Mackenzie. We can’t let him say that he gave more than we did. Surely we can find it within ourselves to at least match his £5000. Do give generously. Stephen has given us much food for thought over almost a decade of being part of the LDV team. If you can afford it, please show your appreciation by donating at least the price of a nice glass of wine in a city centre pub. If everyone who reads LDV regularly did that, we would easily get to £5000 and then MSF would receive £10,000.
Stephen is being a bit shy about when this event is taking place. I asked him on Twitter today:
@caronmlindsay I'm keeping that under my, erm, hat for the moment to discourage well-wishers turning up 🙂 But due to be in next fortnight.
— Stephen Tall (@stephentall) October 2, 2015
It’s probably just as well that it’s happening soon, before it gets too cold. The BBC will be there with a camera so anyone who wants to will be able to see for ourselves that Stephen’s pledge was fulfilled.
Tim Farron wished Stephen well on Twitter:
@caronmlindsay @stephentall Well done Stephen
— Tim Farron (@timfarron) October 2, 2015
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
11 Comments
Have donated. Can’t wait to see the video!
Donation made. Who says the LibDems can no longer turn heads in Westminster, what bare-faced cheek!
Will he be joined by Lord Ashdown for a post-run dessert of hat..?
::Blush adverts gaze::
Be careful what you keep under your hat, especially if Paddy Ashdown is around! ::Grin::
Many thanks for the donations, folks – more than £800 raised in just over 24 hours for Médecins Sans Frontières (UK). Here’s the link again to donate 🙂 https://www.justgiving.com/StephenTall
Alas this has become painfully topical with the destruction of a MSF hospital in Afghanistan after an US airstrike…
Something for the Party to emphasise….?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/03/three-medecins-sans-frontieres-staff-killed-in-afghanistan-hospital-bombing
Edis I was just about to say that.
Excellent choice Stephen, but as others have said, made very painful by today’s news.
(ps: don’t leave your run until after the weather turns!)
People who work in war zones are real heroes and sometimes I don’t think we recognise them enough. I was aware of this charity from when I heard about some of their workers being kidnapped on the news whilst working in a conflict area.
And it didn’t stop people working for them and trying to help others.
Best of luck
I saw The Daily Politics with Stephen. He was very good and hats off to you Stephen for accepting this challenge for this great charity.
I take my hat off to you sir. You made a pledge thinking that there was no way you would ever have to honour it. You were wrong. Result? You’re honouring your pledge and making it in aid of a good cause. Well done!!!!! Ever thought of running to become an MP? I think you’d make a good one.