Geoff Major is organizing Mag 7 UK 2017, which involves a series of challenges to raise money for charity. He has been doing challenges through his company Involve since 2001, raising over £100,000. His motivations are to challenge himself beyond what he thinks possible and to inspire others. Past challenges include trekking the Sahara and skiing to the North Pole. He is now preparing for a final big adventure and is seeking help with marketing, PR, and growing awareness to increase fundraising and participation.

1. So what is The Magnificent 7 UK 2017?
(and no, I don’t mean the movie)
1
Mag 7 & Involve overview v1.0

2. Before I start, let me explain who I am
2
Name: Geoff Major
Age: 55 ( but my children & wife say I act younger; bless ‘em)
Described As: Normal(-ish)
Personal motivation: To push myself
beyond what I could EVER imagine I’d
be able to do AND raise a lot of £!
What Am I NOT: I’m definitely NOT an
adrenaline junkie
…… and I’m self-employed (BlueDucks Ltd). I have been
since 2001, which is when I committed to share my success
with others. I called it the ‘Involve’ ethos
http://involveadventures.com/index.php?page=about
Mag 7 & Involve overview v1.0

3. Why did I decide to do Involve?
3
Because I knew I was
more fortunate in
life than some.
Period !
Mag 7 & Involve overview v1.0

4. ‘Involve’ needed to change, and here’s why
4
“Everyone dies, but not everyone lives” - Sachs
The voyage of self-discovery I accidentally took in going to
the North Pole taught me 3 things: -
- I realised I’m capable of more than I (and a few others) ever
expected/gave myself credit for.
- I loved the challenge of the preparation as much as I enjoyed the
challenge of the trek itself.
- Others were as enthused as I was about my achievement
and started to think about what they might be able to do.
- I want to live life like never before.
-The definitions of ‘challenging’ and
‘exciting’ are a very individual thing.
(okay, so technically that’s a 4th and a 5th thing too).
After my Cuba cycling
challenge, the voyage of
discovery I took led me to
my polar adventure
Mag 7 & Involve overview v1.0

5. What did ‘Involve’ change in to?
5
A series of big & little adventures that challenge &
excite people, so they want to get ‘involved’.
Giving everyone the opportunity, the inspiration
and the support to involve themselves on a
personal adventure that challenges them and
adds value for charity.
So people can say “I did it”
(because that’s what happened to me)
Mag 7 & Involve overview v1.0

6. What has the ‘Involve’ ethos achieved so far?
6
2001 - 2016 It has donated and
raised £100 000 to charity.
Some of the things I’ve done so far are …
2013 – Trekked the Sahara for 5 days (recognise anyone in the photo?)
2012 - Ski-trekked
to the North Pole.
At the age of three, Thomas Barton is the youngest child in the UK ever to be diagnosed with Pappilliary Thyroid Cancer.
Intense treatment in July 2005 meant that Thomas was classified as being radio-active, and spent an entire week in strict isolation. Hard to comprehend as an adult and a parent, let
alone for someone so young. BlueDucks is providing Thomas and his family with the opportunity for some quality time together by paying for a family holiday, in acknowledgement of
their strength and humbling tenacity through the past and future challenges they face.
Some examples from 2003 – 2009
(donations of over £18 000 in total)
First it was water storage, then it was sanitation and now in our third and
final year of donations to the Trust, to support their work in Kisumu City in
Kenya, it is transport.
Never have a group of children been so thrilled at the sight of a second-
hand Land Rover!
2015 – Rowed 100km on the Rover Thames over two days
… but the final AND BIGGEST adventure
is yet to come!
Mag 7 & Involve overview v1.0

7. “So why are you telling me this?”
7
I’m one-man trying to juggle full-time work, a training regime and arranging a complex
final adventure, without my family feeling they’re only part-time.
(and I’m looking for help, expertise AND ENTHUSIASM to lay the foundations for some amazing digital marketing and to grow lots of ‘all-
channels’ PR; which will increase awareness, participation, sponsorship and funds raised.)
Here are some thoughts I wanted to share: -
1. Fundraising by charities is highly competitive (don’t let anyone tell you it’s not)
2. To attract people’s attention and then try to get a share of their
‘purse/wallet’, challenges have to be more outrageous
3. Trying to get a message across on social media has been likened
to dropping a grain of sand on a beach (and a big beach at that)
4. Can you offer support to make this even bigger and better?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e2XGGnAvaQ
Mag 7 & Involve overview v1.0