He Tore A Hamstring Dot Mee Dot UK

Sport Relief 2010 … all help appreciated

IT’S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS … how many times do we hear or even use that phrase around Birthdays and Christmas every year!!

In this case, I refer to a forthcoming venture, which will be minimal in physical exertion, but hopefully still successful in raising funds. During the last 3 years, I have completed 2 Great North Runs, a Great Manchester Run, and a Great Edinburgh Run in order to raise money for the National Autistic Society. I have also ran around the streets of Birmingham dressed as Santa to raise money for Acorns Children’s Hospice, and slightly less physically grown a somewhat ostentatious moustache as part of Prostate Cancer’s Movember campaign. I have been grateful to all who have supported me, especially given the state of the economy in recent times.

It is difficult to know when to draw the line. We are constantly surrounded by ‘charity’. From Television Commercials through to Newspaper Advertisements, and of course the street teams who are ubiquitous in almost every big city of the UK. And when all is done, is Cancer more important than Autism, is Haiti more important than Cancer, or are Children more important than Adults? This is before we ask whether those overseas are any less important than those closer to home!! When all is said and done, it is all rhetoric as each cause is only as much as it means to any given individual – we all have personal reasons for following those causes that are important to us.

Personally, I have always felt very fortunate to have been presented with the opportunities that I have had. For me, it gives me great pleasure and happiness to do anything, however trivial or small, that may help others who have simply not had same luxuries afforded to them. That is the main reason why I will be raising money for Sport Relief 2010.

I will not pretend to take on the most physically exerting challenge of all time! However, as I said, IT’S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS.

The Selly Park Tavern is one of many Ember Inns throughout the UK who have committed to raising money for Sport Relief. Between Friday 19th and Sunday 21st March, the Tavern will be hosting a ‘bike-athon’ with locals and staff taking 30 minute shifts on an Exercise Bike in the Pub – now 30 minutes on the bike may not be testing, but it will be tantalising to sit there riding the bike whilst my mates egg me on with pints in hand! Personally, I will be taking my shift at 9pm on Friday evening. I would invite anyone in the locality to get themselves to the Selly Tavern for the comedy value alone of walking in to one of Birmingham’s nicest pubs, only to find my ample frame bedecked in shorts and pedalling furiously on a static bicycle!

Most importantly, I would humbly ask you for a donation, however small. Sport Relief is special in that the money raised will impact many causes on a global scale (see here for details). You can sponsor me by going to my:-

Sport Relief Giving Page

Together with my good friend Steve Sealy (equally as athletic as me), we will form the team of ‘iPhone & Blackberry‘, and between us have set a goal to raise a minimum of £200. I hope that with your generosity, we will exceed this comfortably.

I know that many of you will have been inundated with requests for various donations, but even if all of my Twitter and Facebook friends donate even £1, we will surpass our target.

I thank you in advance … and most importantly am going to start training. After all, I wouldn’t want anyone saying that ‘hetoreahamstring‘!!