100 Mile Mission

Cometh the hour !

2010-05-18T02:47:00.000-07:00

Well here we are - less than a week till kick off !

Everthing is looking up - England are World Champions at 20 / 20 cricket , the weather is warming up and the occupancy in our Region is increasing !

We now have over 50 walkers taking part ! But i won't be getting too carried away until i see who actually turns up on each day !!!

Seriously , the support from the Region has been superp and we now have eleven Homes who are supplying walkers and organising 10th Anniversary Celebrations to assist with the Fund Raising.
They are - Reigate , Epsom , Tandridge , Emily Jackson , Newington , Winchester , Friston ,Thackeray , Park View , Paternoster , Ashminster .

There is also the potential for a lot of positive Pr - so thanks to Aisling and Chantel.

Sponsorship is looking healthy and if each of the 11 Homes raise two to three hundred pounds we won't be far off target ( £5,000 ). Special mention must go to Ann Saunders and Jim Fogden who have both manage to use their influence and contacts to give the Sponsorship a real boost. But i am not forgetting the many other individual walkers who have already reached the £100 mark.

Overall i am happy with my training. Although i have not done many long walks ( due to a lack of time ) , i have been running 3 to 4 times a week over the last five months mixed with a bit of gym work. Interestingly , whilst i have lost a few pounds , Ruby ( my dog ) who has been running with me has put on a few pounds but she is looking good on it. I phoned the Vet a couple of day's ago to ask whether it was ok for a smallish dog to walk 100 Miles in 5 day's. He assured me that her legs would be the same length at the end of the walk as they were at the beginning !! However , they might have to shoot me !

I am slightly nervous about the physical challenge but also really looking forward to it. The hardest part is going to be getting going again after resting overnight.

I also know that for some of my colleagues , training has involved a 400 yard walk down to the Post Office to post a letter. Well next week they are going to be walking 20 miles and i love them for their attitude and spirit !

Catch up soon.

2010-03-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

More good news.

Micky Shirley has agreed to join us on Tuesday the 25th May and Robin Comerford ( new ROD in the South East Region ) has agreed to join us on Thursday the 27th May 2010.

It is also really pleasing to see all the effort being put in by the 5 main host Homes - Reigate / Emily Jackson / Winchester / Newington / Ashminster.

The evening 10th Anniversary Celebration Parties are going to be great.

My own training is going well. I completed the Hastings Half Marathon yesterday in just over 2 hours which was bang on target. Feeling the effects a bit today but i was still able to take the dog for a 3 or 4 mile walk in the afternoon after doing the run in the morning.

More on board !

2010-03-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

Some great news today with some more walkers signing on !

Jim Fogden has agreed to do the Monday ( the longest walk ) just 4 days before he is due to walk down the aisle on the Friday ! Fingers crossed for no serious blisters. Jim is a regular warrior in our Dragon Boat Team and a challenge would not be a challenge without Jim involved.

Kate Flory has agreed to do two day's - the Monday and the Tuesday - which is fantastic. Plus Kate is trying to entice the 3 other graduate's to join us ?

Finally , Penny Hammond - G.M at Park View has also agreed to join me for a day - Wednesday the 26th May. This is going to be a fun day because with Penny , Ann , Sian , Tony , Jo and Nicky there is going to be some serious banter ! It's going to be a job to keep them moving !!!

100 MILE MISSION

2010-03-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

Less than 3 months to go now.

The training schedule for Ruby ( my Dog ) and i is going well and it's always comforting to know that she has considerably shorter legs than i do !!

The number of walkers is also growing which has given me a real boost.

So far the following people have agreed to join me for at least one day :

Ann Saunders , Anthony Beorby , Sian Mitchell , Briony Prosser , Ellen Timson , Barry Jordan , Nick Mather , Lindsay Cowan ( SROD's , ROD's , ROM's , Support Services ) , Jo Bown , Chris Glover plus Allison , Meryl and Sue ( from Emily Jackson ) , Jane Sayers ( from Epsom ) , Mike Hope ( from Thackeray ) , John Lavan , John Smith ( from Tandridge ) , Nicola Starbuck ( from Paternoster ) , Martin Roux ( from Dudwell ) , Vivienne ( Administrator at Winchester ) , Annie Lampard , Serb Sidhu ( from Magnolia ) , plus i am delighted to say almost the whole of the Marketing Team ( on different day's of course ) from Charlotte , Aisling , Kate , Chantel , Chris and Binta.

There are also many others i am working on !!

Watch this space.

We must have been mad...

2010-02-09T05:14:00.000-08:00

...when we decided to walk 100 miles of the North Downs Way in a mere 5 days! But that's what we'll be doing to help raise valuable funds for the Barchester Healthcare Foundation this May.

Starting on Monday 24th May and finishing on Friday 28th May, we plan to trek from Guildford in Surrey and (hope!) to end up at Ashford in Kent a mere 5 days later. GULP. The route meanders through the wilds of the North Downes and comes close to some of our homes in the South East - but we would like as many homes as possible to be involved throughout Barchester!

The BIG idea!

The Grand plan is to raise a whopping £5,000 for the Foundation - a fantastic charity that helps older people and other adults in the UK with a physical or mental disability. The money we raise will be matched £ for £ by the Barchester Healthcare shareholders - a potential £10,000 total to continue the good work in our communities.

How can you help?

You could walk with us, in your own region or home or sponsor us direct via our JustGiving page XXXXX

Feel free to involve and bring along staff, families, friends, partners and dogs. You come and join us for one day or 5 days, you can walk a hundred miles or 3 miles – it’s just a question of taking part and supporting the event.

How we'll do it:

Day 1 - Monday 24th May - 23 miles

07.30a.m. – Walkers to meet at Reigate Beaumont for Bacon Sarnies. Minibus to Shalford, just outside Guildford.

Walk start time: 9.00a.m.

Walk - Guildford to Mole Valley via Newlands Corner and Ranmore Common - 13 miles.

Walk - After refreshment continue walk Mole Valley to Merstham over Box Hill and Reigate Hill - 10 miles. This leg starts with the famous stepping stones over the River Mole!

Finish at Merstham – approximately 6.00pm. Minibus to Reigate Beaumont for 10th Anniversary Foundation Birthday Party with Residents and Families – organised by Aileen Oliver, General Manager.

Day 2 Tuesday 25th May – 19 and a quarter miles.

07.30a.m. Walkers to meet at Emily Jackson House, Sevenoaks Minibus to Merstham (Reigate).

Start time: 9.00a.m.

Walk - Merstham to Oxted via Gravelly Hill – 8 miles. Plus a stop off at Hurst Green for a PR opportunity. We will also be passing very close to Tandridge.

Walk - Oxted to Otford past Knockholt Pound – 11 and a quarter miles.

Finish at Otford – approx 5.00pm. Minibus to Emily Jackson for 10th Anniversary Foundation Birthday Party with Residents and Families – organised by Jo, Chris, Chris and Meryl.

Day 3 – Wednesday 26th May – 17 and a quarter miles.

08.00a.m. Meet at Winchester House, Rochester. Minibus to Otford.

Start time: 9.30a.m.

Walk - Otford to Medway Bridge through Wrotham – 17 and a quarter miles.

Finish at Medway Bridge – approx 4.30pm. Minibus to Winchester House for 10th Anniversary Foundation Birthday Party with Residents and Families – organised by Sue Simmonds, General Manager. Friston House to also hold 10th Anniversary Foundation Birthday Party organised by Chrissie Heyes, General Manager.

Day 4 – Thursday 27th May – 15 and a half miles.

08.00a.m. Meet at Newington Court. Minibus to Medway Bridge.

Start time: 9.30a.m.

Walk - Medway Bridge to Hollingbourne via Detling – 15 and half miles.

Finish at Hollingbourne – approx 4.00pm. Minibus to Newington Court for 10th Anniversary Foundation Birthday Party with Residents and Families – organised by Linda Donovan, General Manager.

Day 5 - Friday 28th May – 15 miles.

08.00 Meet at Ashminster House, Ashford. Minibus to Hollingbourne.

Start time: 9.30a.m.

Walk - Hollingbourne to Wye past Harrietsham and through Boughton Lees – 15 miles.

Finish at Wye – approx 4.00pm. Minibus to Ashminster for final 10th Anniversary Foundation Birthday Party with Residents and Families – organised by Paul Davis, General Manager.

Yikes! Better get training...

Geoff, Chris , Chris G & Brian