Helping Heroes: from Land’s End to Twickenham

Completing the challenge: arriving at Twickenham

Congratulations to our Auditel colleague, Laurence Fitch, who has completed this year’s Great British Bike Ride from Land’s End to Twickenham. Most of the 200 riders who started in Cornwall completed the gruelling 335-mile, 27-hour journey and crossed the finish line in front of 70,000 cheering rugby fans, friends and family, in the process raising over £90,000 for Help for Heroes, The Rugby Players Association Benevolent Fund and the RFU Injured Players.

As Laurence says, “It was a lot harder than I expected especially coming through Devon & Cornwall but it was all worth it when we cycled into Twickenham to complete the route – 70,000 rugby fans standing to clap us around the pitch at Twickenham was something that I will never forget. One very special moment was cycling the last ½ mile to the ground being led by a soldier who had lost both legs in Afghanistan on a specially adapted bike…made you really realise what it had all been about.”

If you want to support the riders who’ve completed this year’s challenge, you can still make a donation, or if you’ve been inspired to get on your bike for charity registration for next year’s event is already open.

Auditel consultant gets on his bike to help heroes

Well done to Auditel consultant Laurence Fitch who has entered the first ever ‘Lexus Great British Bike Ride’ to raise money for a number of charities, including ‘Help for Heroes’. The four-day bike ride, which takes place 1st – 4^th September 2010 between Lands End and Twickenham, will be the first in a series of annual events aiming to raise £1.5 million for charity over the next five years and is designed for all cycling enthusiasts, sportsmen and women, who want to take on a real challenge and raise some much appreciated funds.

As Laurence, who spent 14 years in the RAF, says: Read more…

A marathon effort to raise funds for BLESMA

Journeys end: James (left) and Thane (right) complete their epic challenge

You may remember that a few weeks ago I posted a blog about James Bury’s plan to walk and run the equivalent of four marathons to raise money for his client, BLESMA (British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association). Well, I’m glad to report that despite choosing one of the hottest weekend’s of the year James and his friend, Thane Hall, successfully completed this gruelling challenge well within the 48-hour time they’d set themselves, completing the 102.5-mile, Southdowns Way between Winchester and Eastbourne in just 39 hours.

James says, “ Apart from some wear and tear, I feel great, despite having to stand on the train back to Winchester! A big thank you to everyone who’s supported us and BLESMA – that support made all the difference when it looked like it might be difficult to finish. Also a very special thanks to Thane for coming up with the idea, and for proving to be a faultless navigator even at night after 70 miles non-stop! BLESMA is an amazing charity that supports those who have suffered serious injury serving their country. For every death reported in Iraq and Afghanistan, there are probably two or three very seriously wounded, who are almost always young people with their whole lives ahead of them. While they can provide plenty of courage and determination they do need specialist help, encouragement and opportunities to rebuild their lives. We’ve raised £2,000 in sponsorship so far, which I’m really thrilled about as every donation to BLESMA, however modest, is going to a very deserving cause.”

Auditel consultant goes the extra miles to help ex-servicemen's charity

Good luck to Auditel Consultant James Bury who is setting off today to run/walk the equivalent of 4 marathons in 2 days to raise funds for the British Limbless Ex-servicemen’s Association. This is an organisation that works tirelessly to help servicemen and women who have lost limbs or eyes and, very sadly, the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq means demand for their services is increasing daily.

James has been providing cost reduction services to BLESMA for several years but wants to go further in raising both funds for and awareness of their phenomenal work. Appropriately enough, given the city’s association with the armed forces and Wednesday’s homecoming parade, James will be starting his epic trek in Winchester and will be making his way along the South Downs Way to Eastbourne, over 100 miles away.  His aim is to do it in under 48 hours, but with good weather and a fair wind, hopes to be quite a bit quicker.

So far James has raised over £700 in sponsorship and been really delighted by the enthusiastic backing of so many people. It demonstrates tremendous support for our forces, and the strong desire to help those who have sacrificed so much.

Auditel work with hospice to bring savings and peace of mind

The recession has been very difficult for organisations of every type but none more so than in the charity sector where over 170,000 organisations are competing for fewer funds. With both corporate and individual donations down since the start of the credit crunch, a study carried out by the Charities Aid Foundation and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations estimated a fall in funds of 11%, or £1.3 billion, between 2008 and 2009. The Earl Mountbatten Hospice on the Isle of Wight has experienced this fall at first hand and, like many other charities, was keen to reduce overheads and improve profitability without negatively impacting on the vital medical and nursing services they provide. Having been recommended the Auditel service by a colleague at another hospice, Read more…

Auditel consultant on the run – but all in a good cause

Congratulations to Auditel consultant Daryn Dodge who has completed the 2009 BUPA Great North Run to raise funds for the charity Diabetes UK. Given that, in his own words, the last time he ran for anything was during football training over 20 years ago, and has been nursing a calf injury, this is quite an achievement.

As Daryn said before the race, “I’m not quite sure how I got here but here I am about to embark on a half-marathon! Actually I do know, as I specifically choose to run for Diabetes UK for a couple of reasons. My late mum had diabetes, and as I do too, I thought the training would help me.”

Daryn didn’t set himself a target time, as raising money and getting to the finish without the assistance of the St. John’s Ambulance were his main objectives. Once he’d got his breath back after the race Daryn said, “It was an amazing experience. As I had some really generous donations – £1,000 so far – I thought it was important to make a serious attempt and not just walk round. Considering that my restricted training had not let me go beyond five miles I was surprised that I felt quite comfortable up to ten miles. Then it was a different story as my shortened training was seriously exposed. I didn’t know you could experience such pain but once I was into the last three miles I was determined to make it to the line. I certainly managed that. I ran every step of the way without stopping or walking even once and finished in 3 hours 33 minutes and 19 seconds! This morning, I can’t believe that I ran for over 3 1/2 hours, but my legs are definitely reminding me that I did!”

Read more…

Auditel consultant breaks Pennine Way record for Wonder Years charity

Congratulations to Auditel Consultant, Chris Gordon, and his walking partner George Campbell who have recorded one of the fastest ever times for completing ‘The Pennine Way’ walk, raising nearly £3,000 for Gambian education charity, Wonder Years, in the process.

This epic undertaking involved hiking 272 miles from Edale in the Pake District to Yeltholm in Scotland, climbing 40,000 feet in the process. As Chris explains, “‘The Pennine Way’ is generally regarded as the toughest and most challenging long-distance walk in Britain. I’ve done the Three Peaks Challenge – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24 hours – a couple of times. Growing up in The Lake District I’ve always loved hiking, but I knew this would be far harder than anything I’d done before. The primary reason is the sheer distance, but also because we planned to do it in less than 12 days. The standard completion time for anybody daft enough to do it in ‘one go’ is about 3 weeks!” Read more…

Congratulations to the UK's oldest skydiver (and his grandson)

Congratulations to Edward Brewer, Auditel’s Business Development Manager, and his Grandfather, George Moyse, on their charity skydive last weekend. The intrepid pair have raised over £1,500 for the RNLI and Royal Airforce Association and have made the news as far afield as California and New Zealand. George, who will be 98 on Wednesday, is thought to be the UK’s oldest skydiver but is keen to have another go – not so sure about Ed though, he’s still shaking two days later!