Robert Fairhead

My last Dry July post for 2026. I'm so grateful to family and friends for their donations that encouraged me to stay dry for 31 days in July and helped me achieve my $1000 fundraising target again this year. This was my 13th Dry July since 2013 (I had a "sabbatical" in 2019), and over those 13 years I've raised $8,313 for the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation. Yes, I donate to myself during Dry July, but I couldn't have raised as much money to support people affected by cancer without donations. So, once again, thank you! 🙏❤️

Cheered, cheered the Swannies onwards to what seemed an unlikely victory over the Saints yesterday, sticking to Heaps Normal ales at the Tudor Hotel in Redfern (Sydney), and then I bought a carton of Guinness 0.0 for August on the ride home. Dry July may be over (and thanks again for the donations and support), but I'm staying dry ... for now! 😉

Wow! More generous donations to my Dry July today (including a VERY generous one) mean I've achieved my fundraising target. And the best part is that the money I've raised by simply staying dry for 31 days will help support people affected by cancer. 🙏❤️

I fell short of my (twice-revised upwards) fundraising target of $1000 this year. But I lasted the 31 days of July, and I've enjoyed sharing my posts with the Dry July Community on Facebook, and reading the stories and seeing the success of other Dry Julyers. Whether I hit the booze again or stay dry, I'm savouring how good I feel today compared to the end of June. And reminding myself, it was all for a greater cause! ❤️

2 sleeps to go until August, and like last year, I'm tantilising close to achieving my twice-revised upwards fundraising target of $1000. In 2025, I needed just over $200 in donations to reach $1000. This year, I've raised $752. I'll donate another $50 to myself on Saturday to celebrate 31 days dry. So, I need just under $200 in donations to hit $1000 raised to help people affected by cancer. It's so close! 😬

3 years on, and once again, there are 3 days (and nights!) left of July. But unlike 2023, I'm $250 short of my twice-revised fundraising target of $1000! I know I'll make the finish line for Dry July, but will I achieve my target this year? 🤔

4 weeks dry and I've achieved my revised fundraising target of $750. How will I celebrate? By revising my target again to $1000! 🤞

With only 5 days to go until August, I updated my profile pic on Facebook in 2015 with this "I Feel Great" image, hoping to encourage donations to my Dry July fundraiser. I raised $250 in 2015, and 11 years on I'm hoping to raise $750 and maybe $1000 this year, depending on the generosity of family and friends. 🤞

Memories of two Dry Julys: 1) a photo from 2014, with my son and dog on my lap and my nightly non-alcoholic herbal tea beside me; and 2) comments from 2024 when I'd achieved my twice-revised fundraising target of $1000 but pledged to stay dry and seek more donations until August. I raised $1300 in 2024. This year my revised target is $750, and I've currently raised just under $700. I'm confident I'll achieve my 2026 fundraising target, and I may revise it again to $1000. Will I achieve that? I don't know. But as in 2024, going dry and fundraising in July is all for a good cause: to support people affected by cancer. 🙏

1 week to go, but who's counting? I am because that's 7 more days to pester family and friends for donations to achieve my new fundraising target of $750, and perhaps increase it again to $1000! In the immortal words of Bob the Builder: Can we do it? Yes, we can! 😉