First Payment Cleared, And Oscar's Just Getting Started

When Oscar signed up for the Camps International Kenya expedition, he knew it wasn't going to be handed to him. The programme runs on scheduled payment instalments, real deadlines, not suggestions, and the first one had to be cleared by the 1st of June.

He cleared it on the 9th of April.

Nearly two months early. Not because anyone pushed him, but because Oscar decided early on that if this trip was going to happen, he was going to make it happen. Every pound he raises has been earned, through graft, through turning up, through doing the work.

As parents, watching that unfold over the Easter holidays, when most teenagers were on the sofa, has been something else. We're genuinely proud of him.

The Latest Job

He didn't stop once the milestone was hit. Momentum in full flow, Oscar completed another job for one of his sponsors, a property boundary wall, doorsteps, garden patio and decking. All jet-washed, all gleaming, all ready for summer.

A generous recognition of £150 followed, along with a glowing review and hopefully more recommendations to come. Word of mouth is how Oscar builds his work, do the job well, let the result speak for itself, and trust that people talk. So far, they have.

There's still a long road to the full £5,190. But hitting real payment deadlines ahead of schedule, while keeping the work coming in, is exactly how you close a gap like that. Strike while the iron's hot. Oscar knows this, and he's acting on it.

Taking it to Local Business

The next chapter of this journey is a bigger ask, and one Oscar and I have been preparing for properly. We've put together a set of sponsorship proposals tailored for local businesses: clear packages, honest about what's involved, and genuine about what a business gets in return for backing a young person who is very obviously putting the work in.

Those conversations are starting now. The packages are live in the Oscar's Journey shop, designed for small businesses who want to be part of something meaningful in their community, and who'd like a bit of visibility along the way.

This isn't a school raffle or a sponsored silence. It's a structured expedition to Kenya, land-based conservation work in Tsavo National Park and marine conservation diving at Diani Beach, organised through Camps International, who run serious programmes for young people who earn their place on them.

If you know a local business that might want to get involved, have a look at what's on offer in the shop. We'd genuinely love to hear from you.

Why We're Documenting This

These posts aren't just fundraising updates. They're a record of Oscar's journey, the real one, from here to Kenya, and we want people who've supported him, cheered him on, or simply followed along to feel part of it.

There are more payments to make, more work to line up, more milestones to reach. We'll document all of it. Thank you, genuinely,

to everyone who has contributed so far. You're in this with him.