I’ve just hit a ‘significant’ birthday.
I won’t give too much away but, suffice to say, it’s one of those which, when you reach it, people tend to think that you’re getting ready to spend the rest of your life pottering about the garden, clippers in one hand and cup of tea in the other.
Slow down? Retire? You must be joking. There is so much left for me to do-and I haven’t even started yet!
I know many of my friends will look at me and the fact I’ve recently written a book about my life and some of the adventures I’ve had and come to the conclusion that, “…Russell has written a book all about his life and is now ready to sit down and enjoy a quiet retirement”.
Don’t you dare believe it.
2021, my book and the afore mentioned ‘significant’ birthday are by far from being the opening salvos of my epitaph.
If anything, I’m looking to 2022 as the ideal opportunity to take on some new challenges and responsibilities that will take up much of my time over the next twelve months and beyond.
I’ll certainly be looking to write and produce some more books. Especially those that will go into more detail about some of the things that ignite my passion for life. Travel, the wilderness, exploring and the joys of trying something out for the very first time-and why you might want to consider doing something for the first time yourself-you’re never too old to try it.
I’m also keen on writing about my love of food, fine dining and some of the wonderful restaurants and bars that I have visited in my travels around the world.
But if none of that sounds, to you, like hard work, then think again.
I’ve always enjoyed arranging and hosting some of the charitable events I’ve been involved of, many of which have involved some of the biggest names in football, darts and snooker taking part in a series of events that have not only demonstrated their sporting prowess and love of competition but have also resulted in some hugely entertaining evenings that have former sportsmen like the ex- Ipswich, Rangers and England centre half Terry Butcher look back on his encounter with a man by the name of Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup.
Terry didn’t hold back his feelings either. But you’ll have to buy my book to find out exactly what he said about him!
Events like these are, of course, great fun and everyone who comes along on the night ends up enjoying themselves.
But there is a purpose to them.
Which is to raise money for charity.
I’ve worked alongside and with a number of charities in East Anglia over the last few years. Finding out what they do, how they go about doing it and what they are particularly in need of in terms of being able to continue doing it.
I’m already planning a series of events for the next year to eighteen months which I will, as soon as the pandemic permits it, reveal, and exclusively on here first of all.
They’ll be bigger and better than before and will feature, once again, some of the big sporting names I’ve worked with before, as well as, hopefully, a few new ones.
So I’m very interested now, of course, to know who might welcome the opportunity to receive some of the funds that we raise from these events for their charitable organisation.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a massive charity or a tiny one. And you can be based anywhere in the country, not just East Anglia.
If you think you might be interested in working with me and my charitable foundation, let me know-and let’s have a chat!