Another recruit!

I have managed to talk one person into doing this challenge with me anyway!

My brother, Chris has decided to do the same challenge but he will be raising money for Meningitus Research. I'm not going to go into detail but if you want to hear more and check out his details and reasons, his blog is: http://charitybikeride.blogspot.com

Notice the resemblence in blog addresses?! I did mine first!! He, he... :-)

Laura Newman-Fab Personal Trainer!

Hi guys!

Time for an update on my gym antics!

It's actually going really well!! Much better than I had anticipated, I still get a bit nervous walking in but I am not so intimidated anymore and even hold weights and do lunges up and down the side of the gym three times in full view of everyone! Amazing eh?!

I think a lot of the reason I am enjoying it is because of my personal trainer, Laura. She's great, really encouraging, makes me feel like I magically am ten times better each time I go! I think she has made me her project, determined to get me fit and healthy in time! Maybe she just realises exactly how unfit I am and how much of a challenge this will actually be and so knows I need the help! It's great for me, someone to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Check out her website...the link is on the side of the page.

Great South Run!

No, I am not doing the great south run! Far too adventurous for me, I can't run!

However my sister, Janine has decide to participate in this event and will be giving any sponsorship she raises towards helping me meet my target of £3,000! Hoorah!!

This is fab so thanks Jan and good luck!! She'll be great, she's already in training. If anyone would like to show their support for her, whether it be by sponsorship or just a note of encouragement, you can write a comment on the blog. She'd really appreciate it, I know!

Cycle Lessons In London!

Hello everyone!

I had a cycle lesson on Saturday! I cycle to work everyday but only to the end of Blackfriars bridge...anyone who knows London will probably know how the junction at the north end is terrifying at the best of times but peak time in the morning is as scary as hell and so I never dare to try it!

I have found that cycling has got like a car was to me when I lived in a town in Staffs. I never used to go out witout it! Now I tend to get frustrated if I can't take my bike, I always feel so slow if I'm walking! And I get annoyed as there are lots of places that I daren't go on a bike in London, if I don't know the roads or if i think it will be busy. Therefore a cycle lesson teaching you the best way to cycle around London sounded great.

The lessons should be about £27.50 I think but as the tfl (transport for London for those in Stoke!) are encouraging everyone to cycle, if you live in Lambeth (and some other areas of London) they will subsidise your lessons. I'm getting 4 hours of lessons for just £8, the rest of the money being made up from them! Fantastic!

My instructor, Cici was lovely and after running through several tests and talks (like a driving lesson!) to see how aware and stable I was on a bike we got riding! Basically she said that I had great control and awareness, I just needed to build my confidence and get out there, doing it to get experience! So my next lesson will be simply cycling around, trying out junctions and things. I'm looking forward to it!

If you're interested in this, I have attached a link to the webpage on the right hand side...its worth it!! :-)

Induction Finally Over!

Hi,

A brief update, my gym induction is finally over!

Laura, my personal trainer for a couple of sessions is really nice and it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be although whether I will remember all she said about how to use the machines next time I go in, I'm not too certain!

I actually enjoyed it while I was there! Partly because it meant my induction was over which I was dreading, partly because I didn't feel like I stuck out like a sore thumb as I had Laura there and was listening and concentrating on what she was telling me too notice much to notice anyone else and partly because it means my training has officially begun!! Yay!! I just hope this enthusiasm continues...I think it will!!

Stoke Reunion Party

Hello everyone!

So Yates in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent have agreed to let us have the use of their upstairs area for free on Thursday 13th July in order for us to hold a charity reunion party!!

Tickets will be £3 per person and I hope you can all make it! It will be great for us all to meet up again, there are so many people I've lost touch with who I'd love to catch up with...it'll be a great laugh so get your butts along!

But no need to stop there!! The more the merrier so why not bring along new friends too?

Either get in touch with me: j.a.bush@gmail.com or Claire Godwin (who is a star!) on: clairethbear@btinternet.com for more details or to request tickets!

I look forward to seeing you all there!! ;-)

Last Updated Fri 09 June 06

World Cup Betting

Hello everyone!

With lots of help we have a better idea of a little type of betting on the world cup, which will raise more money for charity, more money for the ‘winners’ and will be a lot more fun and competitive!

The way it works is as follows:

• Minimum bet is £2.
• You can buy ‘tickets’ in any country you like. As people buy, the odds will change...we will keep you updated each day (or as frequent as we feel is necessary depending on what happens in the games!) as to your return on each country using this website. (See post above for latest!)
• If your country wins, you get the payout per pound bet as it stands when we close...this will always be more than what you invested.
  

The way that it works well for charity is that we will take 25%.

Betting will close at the end of the group knock out rounds (23rd June)

If you take a look at the current table it will all become clearer. To take a closer look simply click on the picture and you can enlarge it from there.
If you want to buy tickets, post a comment and tell me with how much and the country and I will make sure that I keep tabs on who has put how much in each country (and hence can work out how much money you are owed at the end!).
You can put in as much money as you like into each country and more than one country too.
This round will close at the end of the group knockout rounds (23rd June). If people are still interested we may begin a new one for the next lot of knockout rounds.

So let the game begin!!

If you have any queries please get in touch, it will get more exciting the more people that get involved and once the tournament is underway.

Cheers guys!!

THIS HAS NOW CLOSED SO MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK PART! WE RAISED £13.50 TOWARDS MY SPONSORSHIP...EVERYTHING HELPS SO THANK YOU! CLOSING POSITIONS AND PAYOUTS WILL BE EDITED ABOVE.

World Cup Random Sweep Stake

Hi again,

So we have had a world cup sweep stake at work!

The way worked is as follows:

• £2 per country
• Draw a number from a ‘hat’ at random
• Once all are sold, I tell everyone which countries you have bought.
• Winner takes half of all takings, other half goes towards sponsorship
  

So that is another £32.

Thanks to everyone who took part and I hope you're happy with the countries you got!

Cheers! ;-)

Joined The Gym At Last!

I have finally joined the gym.

After avoiding it for years the inevitable has finally arrived and it's scary! Anyone who knows me will know why, I am not exactly the fittest person you know, the most exercise I do is to walk (45 mins each way) or cycle (20 mins each way) to work each day. Hardly sufficient preperation!

I have joined Fitness First and thanks to them as they have agreed to give me 3x half hour sessions with a personal trainer for free as a goodwill gesture as I am doing this for charity! Cheers guys!

Laura will do my induction and be my personal trainer as she apparently is the cycle expert and so when I have my training program sorted I will let you all know it!

How Much Money Would The Charity Actually Receive And Further Details

I have already made a personal contribution towards the cost of the expedition of £495 and I have pledged to raise a minimum amount of £2,850 for Epilepsy Action. The balance of the expedition costs is £1,280 which will be paid directly by the charity from the minimum sponsorship it receives from me. The remaining sponsorship (at least 55% of the minimum sponsorship) will be retained by the charity. This works out as £1,567.50 for the charity but the more money I raise the more they will receive!

More Information:

• Epilepsy Action is a registered charity, no. 234343

• If you would like to learn more about Epilepsy Action please visit: www.epilepsy.org.uk

• If you would like to learn more about the organisation of Charity Challenge please visit: www.charitychallenge.com

There are links to these sites, a copy of my itinerary and of course my online sponsorship page on the right hand side of my blog.

Contact Me:
If you have any more queries, please do not hesitate to contact me by either leaving a comment or by emailing j.a.bush@gmail.com

If you would like to confirm that I am authorised to collect money for this event please call the Charity Challenge office on: 020n8557 0000.

Why Would I Sponsor You and Not Give the Money Directly To The Charity?

I understand that people may wonder why they should sponsor me when they know that a certain amount of the money will cover my expedition costs, so their full donation won't go to the charity.

Here are my reasons:

1. Giving the amount you would sponsor me directly to the charity as a donation is great...however it wouldn't have crossed your mind without me doing this!
2. By holding events and people sponsoring me I am bringing awareness to the work of Epilepsy Action and therefore people will think of it in the future...whether it be to raise funds for the charity themselves or if someone they know is suddenly diagnosed with epilepsy from the blue (just like I was!...it does happen!) then they may remember this and know who they can go to for help and support.
3. Awareness of epilepsy as a condition. Epilepsy can still be misunderstood and the more questions people ask, the better! As a teenager being diagnosed, there are so many restrictions put on you that I wasn't certain I'd ever be allowed to cycle on a road again, let alone participate in a challenge like this! I need to make the most of this time while everything is controlled.