Newsletter 4

More tales of derring-do from the lovely people in the O2e camp. The O2e community has been out and about training and preparing and doing extraordinary things to help improve the lives of terminally ill and disabled children. I hope you enjoy reading the latest news, but please feel free to email me if you have items for future newsletters. Number 4 includes a profound and heartfelt letter of thanks from ELHAP, one of our 2019 charities and who we are continuing to support in 2020. It’s a reminder of what your donations mean to predominantly small charities, making a huge difference to what they, in turn, are able to do for terminally ill and disabled children on your behalf. Give yourselves a big pat on the back.
And for anyone reading this who has not committed to an event, remember the hardest thing to do is make that initial promise to yourself.

Thank you from ELHAP

O2e wristbands all over the world – spreading the word

And many more sightings on a delightful little video prepared by Anthony Padgett:
Can be found HERE

Heidi’s CASPA pancake day fun and frolic

A fabulous time was had by many people who turned up to the CASPA café at Anerley Town Hall on Shrove Tuesday to have a lot of pancake-orientated fun (including a three-legged, pancake-tossing race), followed by some delightful O2e pancakes. Host with the most was Heidi, who is affected by autism and for whom CASPA represents a wonderful oasis of calm where she can express herself and develop in a safe and supportive environment. O2e supporters Lee McGinley, Chris Ensom, David Plews and Chris Johnson (to name just a few) joined many others, including CASPA students, to ensure a flipping good time was had by all. Well done to Heidi and CASPA for setting up this event for O2e. Donations still being gratefully received : CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Delyse preparing for 60th Big Kevs ride

Delyse Borley is a long-term O2e supporter and wife and supporter (up till now) of hubby, Mr Red. Well, all that is changing as Delyse has decided to celebrate her 60th birthday (60 – really?) by joining hubby and Mr White and Granty B – the “tornado trio” – and 140 other riders (so far) on this year’s ride to Amsterdam. She is already in training for what will be an enormous step up and well and truly out of her comfort zone. Mr Red is rumoured to be looking forward to giving the requisite therapeutic massage at the end. Well done Delyse, a massive test we just know you’ll smash it. Generous types might encourage her through the various pain barriers with a donation to her JG donation page….. CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Sue’s Smarty Challenge

A terrific fundraising idea from O2e superstar, Sue Smith
This is a bit of fun fundraising for chocolate lovers of all ages; Sue bought a box of 12 Smartie tubes online – they worked out at 43p per tube. She handed them out to family and friends and asked them to fill the emptied tubes with 20p pieces once they’d eaten the chocolates. Each tube holds £13 in 20p as it happens!! Sue’s friend, Angie Pierce, who is a newbie to O2e this year, was the first person to return a tube of assorted currency to the tune of £21. What a terrific idea for youngsters to raise money for children less fortunate than themselves? With thanks to Sue, Angie and all the Smartie Challengers. Everybody could have a go at this……

Thomas Quirke 50k run

A soft spoken young man from Ireland was introduced to me at the Launch Night. No, not the start of a joke, this is the start of an amazing sporty endurance challenge under the O2e banner. Young Thomas, a newbie to O2e and Siobhan Carroll’s significant other, will be running an ultramarathon with a difference on 19 September up in Scotland. The original challenge, pulled out of the Lucky Dip hat at Launch Night, was to do three tough mudder events in 2020. Thomas being a bit of an athlete has decided to do the equivalent of five 10k tough mudder events IN ONE GO!! The Spartan Ultra OCR race involves competitors running 50k and overcoming 60 obstacles in the process, which will be astonishingly difficult. Thomas has a just giving page and a huge target of £1,000; let’s get him up there for this one. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thomas-quirke1
Fantastic challenge Thomas, best of luck with your preparations.

BRC Hills Challenge Ride

Our fabulous supporters at BRC have their Hills Challenge on 12 July starting at Beckenham Rugby Club. For those signing up BEFORE THE END OF FEBRUARY there is a discounted entry fee of just £25, to include all the stuff plus a celebratory BBQ at the end. What’s not to like?
Register at http://www.hillschallenge.com/ and get some training in before this one….
Can Ben Hardey get up those Hills?

Jack North and Angel Huizar running the London marathon

Jack North and Angel Huizar will be running their socks off (literally) to improve the lives of terminally ill and disabled children when they compete in the London Marathon 2020 on 26 April. This is a magnificent challenge and an iconic event in the endurance athlete’s diary. Angel and Jack have never done anything like this before and so it really is an extraordinary challenge. Best of luck to you both and hope the training is well underway…..
Let’s get these two young superstars off to a terrific fundraising start at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jack-north2
And
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/angel-huizar

Ollie Wade goes dry for February 2020

Ollie Wade continues with his pledge to be the most sober (and miserable) person in the world by the end of February. Just a few more days to go Ollie, then it’s beer o’clock…. Well done to Ollie, who was mortified when he pulled this one out of the Launch Night Lucky Dips (to great hilarity all round). He is just a few pennies short of his target of £250 for this astonishing feat of endurance; come on you lovely peeps, let’s get him over that line. With thanks to the generous sponsors so far. CLICK HERE TO DONATE

The Giving Machine
Have you signed up yet?

Lots of love
Chairman DD Big Cheese xx
07764682332
dd@O2e.org.uk