Volunteers? sure I'll find you some volunteers for the firewalk I told OneKind with only one week to go. There were two and a half thousand of us at my old workplace – bound to be a few crazy folk wanting to walk on fire.
Turns out I was the only volunteer I could find.... Lots of friends and colleagues gave generously to their crazy mad colleague. I too thought I must be crazy mad but hey, I told myself, be adventurous, how often do you get the opportunity to do something as awesome as this and for a great cause too.
Still, every time I thought about it great big butterflies would start whirling around in my insides. It’s good to push yourself that little bit and it’s good to feel excited too.
The evening of the firewalk I met the other volunteers who were just fantastic. None of us knew what to expect. Some us were having second thoughts until we had the ‘training’ session which lasted a couple of hours.
It was so much fun and full of laughter which turned into quiet shrieks of OMG when we were taken outside to see the firewalk being built. AAHHRRRGGGHHHH
I liked the fact that we were not pressurised at all to go ahead, if you wanted to drop out at the last minute you could, though nobody did. We so wanted to raise the money for OneKind and their amazing work.
It was now dark and we had finished our training session. We padded down the stairs in our bare feet with trousers rolled up and stood in line. Family and friends were there cheering us on and the regular pub goers were looking on in utter amazement, jaws on the deck. The atmosphere was just brilliant.
Then it came to my turn and I took my first step with arms in the air, and all I could chant loudly was “I am the man, I am the man!” I still have no idea where that came from. I felt like I was walking on crunchy cornflakes, there was no heat. I was absolutely buzzing – the greatest feeling I have ever had.
I actually did it, I actually walked on hot coals – woohoo. How fantastic is that! After everyone had done the walk we traipsed back upstairs to wipe our blackened feet, put shoes on have a cheer, a hug and a group photo before going over to meet the OneKind team, to be thanked personally (well that was what I meant to do anyway!).
As I floated down the stairs, buzzing at warp speed 102, somehow I completely forgot to attend the thank you session and was on the M8 before I remembered!!!
For me it was an absolutely amazing experience. If I can walk on hot coals I can do anything. It’s a liberating and empowering experience and one I would definitely recommend.
You can sign up to fundraise for OneKind at the 2011 firewalk for either The Three Sisters in Edinburgh or Hampden Park Stadium in Glasgow today. Don't delay, places are bound to go like hot cakes! If you need any inspiration, why not check out the Facebook gallery for the 2010 firewalk