Derna's going to Borneo
Derna Simpson, a born and bred Bonessian, while searching for the Bo'ness Journal came across the web site and was kind enough to say "I have just discovered the wonderful Bo'ness website. Congratulations! it looks great. I was actually looking for the Bo'ness Journal, whose details your site has helped me find, but I thought perhaps you would be able to help me as well."

Born and brought up in Bo'ness Derna went to Deanburn Primary and then Bo'ness Academy and from there moved on to University in Stirling.

However, she packed her bags and moved south after finishing both English and Publishing degrees and has been working in London for the past five years. Her parents and siblings still live in Bo'ness and her Mum is Assistant Head Teacher of Kinneil Primary.

All very interesting but how can you help? Well...

She has recently been chosen to take part in a major expedition to the rainforests of Borneo. The expedition is being organised by Trekforce Expeditions, a registered charity (No. 1005452) that undertakes scientific research and conservation work in the rainforests of South-East Asia and Central America. Trekforce works in partnership with local organisations and other scientific and conservation bodies to identify projects that will help to preserve the world's different environments. Trekforce is a non-profit making company which is entirely funded by voluntary contributions from individuals and corporate bodies. To take part in this expedition, she needs to raise £3,470 as her contribution to the charity's work.

She has been working quite hard setting up a number of fundraising events in Leytonstone, London but thought perhaps her hometown community would be interested in what she was doing and may even wish to contribute to her funding. As she now has the Bo'ness Journal's contact details she will be contacting them in due course, but wondered if the Bo'ness site could place a link to her fundraising website. The site provides details of the conservation work she will be doing in Borneo and records her fundraising efforts. It's interactive and she thinks it would be really nice if she could get people from her home town of Bo'ness involved.

And here it is: Derna's Fundraising Website.