Dorset Echo | Bombay Duck 2008

Olympic handover provides lesson

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:56:00 +0100

Somehow no matter what you organise, sometimes something happens that changes everything and threatens to overshadow it. I got involved in helping to co-ordinate an Olympic handover in Southampton.

Cowes week and getting taller

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:28:00 +0100

Before this even started there were moments of stress, the van I had booked ended up in someone else’s hands. Thankfully three days later it was mine butit meant us getting the ferry over later on Thursday than planned. Never mind because we were set up and readyto go on Friday morning after a night settling in at UKSA. The rowing machines were working and attachedto the laptop and everything was neatly presented. On the first day myself and fellow volunteer Craig Biles waited for our first customer. It turned out to be a young lad Joseph, who was quickly followed by two police men who raced against each other.

Not Behaving Badly

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:24:00 +0100

One of the methods for raising funds has been getting the big bath ducks signed. The latest in the collection was signed by Martin Clunes and I got to meet him at the Weldmar fete. It was a really good occasion and well orgainsed. I got to meet the man himself and got my photo with him. I did spend half the day wandering around like a lost child trying to find other people to speak to that I would glance in the distance.

Long way round for charity

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:06:00 +0100

I was very fortunate to be given a place in Jane Tomlinson’s 10km run in Leeds. It was something I was very grateful for and gave me a chance to find out more what it was about this wonderful woman that made her so special. However it was going to prove a little bit of a logistical challenge.

A boy named falcon [REVISED]

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:33:00 +0100

In case you didn’t know I spend a lot of my time fundraising on the ferry, during the course of doing this though I get to meet a lot of people. Some of these meetings can be quite emotional. It seems over the last couple of weeks I have met people who have different experiences with leukaemia. One very pretty lass in her early twenties thanked me, she had survived leukaemia when she was ten. Whilst rowing away I met one gentleman who had his children with him. He described to his children how his cousin died from leukaemia at the age of 26. Last summer someone thanked me because their daughter died at age of six from the disease. It was last weekend another one of these chance meetings struck me.

Gearing up to row around the island.

Tue, 13 May 2008 11:08:00 +0100

Ok so i don't have so far to go with the challenge on the rowng machine, under 5,000 km to go. This weekend provided a bit of break from riding on top of the Red Funnel ferries. In preperation to row around the Isle of Wight myself and some students are going to row at the Ryde/Shanklin regattas. This basically involves rowing 1000m in a coastal four doing a bouy turn and then racing back another 1000m. The fours are the same as those we will use to row around the Island in. Enduring the seas around means a couple of things including getting up close and personal with the fith most recognised landmark in the UK - the needles!

London marathon and being stalked by sonic the hedgehog

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:18:00 +0100

The London Marathon one of the biggest participation one day sporting events in the world and a tough challenge. For me this one was going to be a battle to continue bringing back my mental toughness. It was also a chance to enjoy a larger than life event and watch some other very colourful colours.

Gus rides again

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:08:00 +0000

What a difference half an hour makes. The last time i graped the seat of my bike, my mothers heart attack from cancer happened within minuites after. I had move it about but because of the strong association with that morning would not touch the seat. I realised that in order to make a difference and complete my aims i would have no other choice.

A dressing down for Sport Relief

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:01:00 +0000

So at the beginning of last week an opportunity presented itself. The company I work for, Skandia, was taking part in Sport Relief by having a dress down day on the Friday.

Lighter heart equals lighter legs

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:08:00 +0000

One of the keys to making the distance is effective training. However if your carrying something on you mind it can make things 'sluggish'. In this particular case it was carrying the blame for the loss of mum. Despite the face the cancer had spread so quickly I felt there was something I could of done to help her. It took a friend outside the family who has some experience in these situations, to help me understand it wasn't.