Susie is amazing. So amazing in fact that when Facebook got in touch with us and asked if we could recommend someone in the tribe who would be great to chat to for a film about what our community did, she was right up there.

And guess what, Facebook sent a (massive!) crew out. So without further ado, meet Susie.

Don’t ever forget or underestimate the effect that you and Yestival have had on Mo. After being treated so appallingly by social services and being made to feel that the UK did not want him, he was made to feel so welcome and welcomed by everyone at Yestival, and by you and Ems in particular.

Returning the following year was very special - he wondered whether anyone would remember him - as soon as we walked into the field the ‘Hi Mo’s’ that we got were so heartwarming - the odd person remembered me - everyone remembered him! He thought that was hilarious. 

With love, Nicci Golland

Here’s a story

by Henry Blanchard, Founder of the Uganda Marathon

It all begins with a talk from our very own YES-man Dave Cornthwaite, about two and a half years ago. I was sitting in a generic London bar with Nick, Tim & JP. Not really sure what to expect, apart from that this guy had skateboarded across Australia and apparently could now make a living off the back of it. Which we thought sounded pretty cool.

I think a lot of us can empathise with our sentiments at the time: we weren't really sure what we wanted to do but knew that surely there *had* to be more to life than commute, work, retire, die? Right?

One hour of Dave-fuelled inspiration later, we decided on a whim to “say yes” to an impromptu 3 peaks challenge, with no kit, no preparation, no training and no idea.

We survived to tell the tale - and it was a hell of an adventure.

After that, things suddenly seemed more… possible. Because, as it turns out, one YES will have lots of little YES babies, if you give it the chance.

One of those fertile little YES rabbits has multiplied (via lots of little YESes with Escape the City, Project Awesome and the Yes Tribe) and led to us creating a week long festival in Uganda, that culminates in a marathon - bringing together 200 international visitors with 3,000 locals for a run that is all about fun, social impact and community, not beating the clock (boring!).

We’ve even got Dave C coming along to Uganda as well - not only to film the event, but to give another talk to everyone there. Who knows what the ripple effects of him doing this talk will be?! How many more YES’s will come from it?

The latest step on this particular YES journey has been epic - and what I wanted to tell you about. Last Friday, the Uganda International Marathon won the award for “Best International Event” at the official UK Running Awards. Totally mental. A group of twenty-somethings with no experience and no real idea of what they were doing - just a drive to create something meaningful and positive in the world.

...18 months later and we’re beating the New York, Paris, Berlin, Boston, Athens Marathons and more to be crowned the best running event in the world outside the UK. It’s nuts. Really, really nuts. Say YES more and shit gets cray!

Thank you to everyone here for your support - and the dozen of you YEStribers actually coming out to spend a week with us on the Equator - and if you’ve seen me say something similar in the Project Awesome group then thank you for your patience reading both too ;)

What can you say YES to today? And where could that YES take you in 18 months if you let it?