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Supporters' stories
Oliver Hardy and Matthew Taylor
Arctic Circle Race - April 2010
The Arctic Circle Race is one of the most demanding marathon cross-country ski events in the world taking place in the harsh arctic climate of Greenland. The race itself comprises three days skiing over undulating terrain through the back country of Sisimuit covering a distance of over 160 kilometres in temperatures that can range from 0°C to -40°C. The area is also known to have frequent visits from polar bears!
The extreme conditions and distances have meant that training has been rigorous and diverse, ranging from cycling to roller-skiing! We have also recently completed a week long training trip out in Austria which culminated in a gruelling 50km race (see picture insert).
The race runs from 9-11 April and we are aiming to raise as much money as possible for Whizz-Kidz. So please donate generously and help us help Whizz-Kidz make a real difference.
http://www.justgiving.com/ArcticCircleRace
We will keep everyone posted on how we get on out in Greenland.
Many thanks!
Oli and Matt
Whizz-Kidz is very grateful for Oli and Matt’s support and we wish them the best of luck with their incredible challenge!
Tim Foord
Tim ran the London Marathon for Whizz-Kidz, and was our top fundraiser this year. He raised a fantastic total of just over £13,500! This money could really transform a child’s life, by providing essential equipment and training.
Tim found the course challenging as the hot weather placed additional physical demands upon the participants and made the course tough. He described the experience as ‘gruelling, but worthwhile’.
His family were there to cheer him along the route and Tim was particularly spurred on by his daughters Lucy and Gemma, positioned at mile 12 and proudly waving their daddy on.
Tim had originally been inspired to run the London Marathon by Gemma and had pledged to run it when she was just a newborn baby.
Gemma was born three months early and has cerebral palsy, meaning she has limited mobility.
Gemma attends the local Pheonix Centre for physiotherapy and it was here Tim was told about Whizz-Kidz.
Tim said ‘knowing that I was running for such a great cause was the extra push I needed to complete the cause. Whizz-Kidz helps kids throughout childhood, providing the right equipment, wheelchair skills training and a fantastic ambassador network, where disabled children can socialise and learn with their peers. This support can really make the difference”
Vicky Panayiotou
I wanted to run for Whizz-Kidz because I used to work with children with special needs and I know what a tremendous impact the charity has on people's lives. The results are so tangible, and I liked the fact that my funds would help transform disabled children’s lives – it made my fundraising so real. Every child deserves their independence.
I had run London three times and fancied a new challenge; New York seemed like a good course and a great city. The buzz of marathon day is unmatchable, the culmination of months of hard work and dedication, to achieve that goal is hugely rewarding. Everyone's story is different and the people you meet along the marathon route can be quite inspiring.
The team at Whizz-Kidz were fantastic from the moment I signed up with them. I ran London with three different charities and none of them were as good. The preparation advice, training day and fundraising ideas were great, through to being out in New York, the social events, cheering on the course and the helicopter ride! Everyone at Whizz-Kidz really cares for the charity, but also has empathy for us mad runners. It was a fantastic experience.
My next run will definitely be with Whizz-Kidz!
Courtney and Andrew Stefanowicz
Trek to the home of the Dalai Lama
‘My wife and I trekked to the home of the Dalai Lama which was the experience of a lifetime. Having such a friendly group and guide helped ease us into a very different culture – that and the countless smiley faces.
The trek started on the back of a torrential thunder storm! We trekked up and up, feeling the sweat building inside our waterproofs, whilst seeing local men and women from 5 to 75 strolling past in sandals and saris carrying sacks of food over their shoulders. As we approached our first mountain pass, the skies cleared and the views of the mountain peaks were simply stunning. We didn’t expect the mountain villages that we stumbled upon and even more unexpectedly the smiling faces of everyone that greeted us. The weather added to the already challenging terrain, but it really made the end of each day that much more rewarding.
Everywhere we went people wanted to invite us in for tea and food, even if they had little or nothing to give. The scenery was beautiful, the weather amazing, the group was truly a pleasure and the staff incredible. It really was the culmination of a years training and fundraising, resulting in us being able to raise over £5,500 for Whizz-Kidz and providing memories that will last a lifetime - what a reward!’
Andrew and Courtney Stefanowicz completed the challenge of trekking to the home of the Dalai Lama in September 2008.
The Light Family
Everest Base Camp - March 2009
When my family and I decided we would undertake an expedition to Everest Base Camp to raise money for Whizz-Kidz, I was initially somewhat apprehensive. Our very amiable and knowledgable leader soon allayed these fears however, and throughout the whole trek I was pleased to be able to keep up with the older and wiser members of the family!
The guides paced the trek very well - we started off relatively slowly to get acclimatised properly, and when the altitude presented a larger challenge as we neared Everest, we slowed even more! Being beaten back by the weather on our first attempt to reach Base Camp was disappointing, but this was more than offset by the overwhelming euphoria and sense of achievement when we finally reached our goal on the second attempt the next day.
The expedition was made all the more pleasant by the incredibly friendly porters and guides, who were always willing to share their fascinating local knowledge of the region. The absolutely phenomenal quality and quantity of the food provided for us was truly incredible, especially considering we were camping and that the chef was preparing the food from kerosene stoves carried with the expedition! The scenery and atmosphere have to be experienced to be believed - photos and videos cannot possibly do the Nepali and the Himalayas justice.
The entire expedition was filled with moments that we will never forget, and the experience is one that has certainly brought our family closer together.
Richard, Katrina, Tim and Dominic Light - Everest BC 2009
Louise Clark
London to Paris - September 2009
We set off extremely early on a very wet Wednesday morning from London. Despite the rain everyone seemed in great spirits and was looking forward to the challenge ahead. The first day brought with it many punctures, blisters and some very sore bums! When we reached the ferry we were all relieved and looking forward to an hours rest and some hard-earned food- a great opportunity to meet fellow cyclists and find out which charities they were cycling for. Rain awaited us as we cycled off the ferry but the thought of a warm shower and a comfy bed kept everyone going on the short cycle to the hotel.
Day 2 was fantastic- our first full day of cycling in France. By this point we had made friends with some amazing people and I like to think we all kept each other going when the challenge took its toll, (a sense of humour is a MUST for this challenge- you won’t get through it without one!)
I will admit that getting onto our bikes on day 3 was hard-having cycled over half the distance our bums were beginning to get sore, and our legs were beginning to ache. However, day 3 also brought with it some much needed sunshine and some beautiful routes through the villages of France. We all kept in mind what tomorrow would bring- PARIS!
Day four was incredible- blisters, aching muscles and punctures didn’t matter. As we cycled into Paris I can honestly say it was one of the best feelings I have ever had. There is something very powerful about 90 cyclists in matching t-shirts cycling in convoy towards the Eiffel Tower. The traffic stopped for us, sounding their horns as we passed them, the crowds on the pavement stood and applauded us. I felt proud of what I had achieved but even more proud of the group as a whole. Nearly everyone was cycling for a charity which made all the pain worthwhile! We were met by our amazing tour leaders under the Eiffel Tower where there were a few tears, many bottles of champagne and some very knackered cyclists! This was truly an awesome experience that will never leave me- but it’s harder than you think, so train train train!
Stephanie Whitlock, Ross Fleming and Louise Clark - London-Paris September 2009
I would like to make a regular donation!
It is important having an ambassador network because it helps raise the profile of Whizz-Kidz so children can get their wheelchairs quicker