My Birthday Fundraiser 2026 🎂🥳
A small celebration for people, nature, and the species we still have a chance to protect
This year, I’m celebrating my birthday a little differently.
Instead of gifts, I’m inviting friends, colleagues, and kind humans from different parts of the world to support two conservation efforts that are close to my heart: the Philippine Eagle Foundation and Saving the Wildcats.
The Philippine Eagle is one of the most powerful symbols of the Philippines’ forests, and the Scottish wildcat is Britain’s last remaining native wild cat species. Both are critically endangered, and both remind me that conservation is not just about protecting individual species. It is also about protecting forests, habitats, cultures, futures, and our relationship with the living world.
So this year, my birthday wish is simple: to gather small acts of care that can contribute to their protection.
How you can support
You can donate directly to either organisation here:
Saving the Wildcats
https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/9439#!/DonationDetails
Philippine Eagle Foundation
https://akubocrm-v3-prod-us.akubo.net/donate/philippineeaglefoundation/
After donating, you can send me your proof of transfer so I can help track our collective contribution. Or you can simply message me and let me know that you sent a gift. No need to share the amount unless you want to.
A small thank-you from me
As a small thank-you, I’m offering a few ways to celebrate, connect, and share something meaningful in return.
For friends and supporters outside Newcastle or overseas
I will host a one-hour online mindfulness-based stress reduction session on June 19 at 7:00 PM Philippine time.
This will be a gentle session for pausing, breathing, grounding, and reconnecting with ourselves, especially for those of us who are carrying many responsibilities, transitions, worries, and hopes.
No previous mindfulness experience is needed. Just come as you are.
I will also share short videos of how I am preparing for my Spartan race over IG and FB stories. This has been one of the things that helped me feel stronger, fitter, and more connected to my body this year, so I’d love to share bits of that journey too not as a fitness expert, but as someone learning to build strength, discipline, and courage one step at a time.
You are also welcome to share with me any project, grant, consultancy, or collaboration opportunity that could be a good fit for AINI Collaborative Solution.
For any successful project bid that comes through your referral, I will donate 5% of the secured project value to this birthday fundraiser.
This is one way of turning future work into future care — for communities, climate, and biodiversity.
For friends in Newcastle and nearby areas
For those based in Newcastle or nearby, I would love to celebrate with you in person through a simple three-day birthday gathering:
June 26 – Evening Film Showing
A relaxed evening of food, film, conversation, and reflection.
June 27 – Mindfulness Walk
A gentle walk to reconnect with nature, pause, breathe, and enjoy time outdoors together.
June 28 – Beach BBQ
A casual beach gathering to celebrate friendship, community, and the causes we are supporting.
Venue details will be shared directly with those joining.
Why I’m doing this
I’ve always believed that celebration can also be a form of service.
This birthday is not meant to be grand. It is just a small attempt to bring together friends, meaningful work, movement, mindfulness, and the causes that continue to shape the way I think about the world.
Whether you donate, join the mindfulness session, come to one of the Newcastle gatherings, follow the Spartan preparation videos, share a project opportunity, or simply help spread the word, I would be very grateful.
Thank you for being part of this birthday celebration with purpose and heart.
With love and gratitude,
Jecel