Unbelievable

The trellis is overflowing with fruit. The lemurs are ecstatic.

The target has been reached. The funds will be transferred to Azafady to support their impressive humanitarian, community development and conservation projects in Madagascar.

And only just in time, as I fly out to Antananarivo this afternoon. I commence my work with the programme on 1 April 2011, after a week of travelling by taxi-brousse, jeep, truck and any other form of transport I can find to Fort Dauphin (Tolagnaro) on the southeast coast, where the Azafady charity is based.

Please do click on the Azafady banner to find more information about the organisation that you have so generously supported and their work to eradicate poverty, suffering and environmental damage in Madagascar.

On behalf of all of wonderful inhabitants of Madagascar, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your enthusiasm, generosity and support with this venture. Clearly, our once tearful little grey friend on the left is still coming to terms with their change in fortunes.

Although communications are not that well developed or reliable in Madagascar, I will keep everyone updated about my contributions to these projects and my other adventures over the next two months.

Thank you all once again for your support.

A seemingly interminable challenge

The lemur made it through freezing February gales and driving rain from London to the coast, and survived.

In the merciless, wintry conditions, it took over 7 hours to complete the 63 miles (100 km) from north London to Brighton, and by the time the lemur arrived - with the sun having long departed these frigid and soggy shores - there was no sign of the sea in the darkness.

Despite the spectacle of a quivering and drenched lemur cycling through the West End, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall heading for the southern counties, Londoners looked on with characteristic lack of interest or disdain, but the tourists loved the bizarre sight, and the lemur got delightfully supportive responses further along the route, with entire cafes waving, stunned pedestrians gaping foolishly from the pavements, and cars swerving across lanes to toot and shout their support (sorely needed in the grueling conditions).

Thankfully, the lemur had a brilliant support crew in James and Kelly, who remained committed to the good cause and good humoured throughout.

So despite the awful conditions, this small and intrepid band completed this difficult challenge but the trellis remains half full and only a few weeks remain.

If you would like to congratulate the cycling lemur and his friends, please do click on the paypal link on the right-hand side, knowing that you will be contributing to Azafady’s impressive humanitarian and environmental projects in Madagascar.

For those of you who have already tried without success, please do try the link again now and be sure to use pauljohnstone17@yahoo.com as the identifier.

Thank you to all of you who have supported this charitable enterprise and please do visit the blog again soon to see the lemurs’ last ditch attempts to reach the target with only days to go.