[Charity] - Paul Smith (In Wheelchair)

[Basil is a Gooner]

I know the word Emirates is usually written as E******s on here, but in this case its ok!

As you know in the past lifelong Gooner Paul Smith has raised vast amounts of money for charity with your help by travelling 100, then 200, and last year 300 miles in his wheelchair, a truly amazing man.

This year it is slightly different, here are the details of his latest challenge. I hope you are once again able to help Paul in his quest, and if you are around on the day please come along to support him in his challenge. Can the mods also make this thread a sticky please.

"On the 5th April 2014, disabled Arsenal Supporter, Paul Smith, will take on his 6th Challenge.

Paul will self propel himself around the outside of the Emirates Stadium in the recumbent chair some 270 times which is a total distance of 100 miles, not only that Paul will do this challenge in 7 hours or under. All funds raised will go to Save the Children here in the UK and abroad, we hope you will support Paul as he takes on this amazing challenge which will take immense concentration and determination to keep up the momentum to achieve such a task.

To help Paul raise as much as he can for Save the Children, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates or if you see Paul around the Stadium during a game you can hand him your donation. Thank you."

[Basil is a Gooner]

http://www.goskyride.com/GetIntoCycling ... ty-cyclist

Please click like or tweet and vote for Paul!!!

Thanks!

[StuartL]

http://www.goskyride.com/GetIntoCycling ... ty-cyclist

Please click like or tweet and vote for Paul!!!

Thanks!

Done for you Basil

[franksav63]

Done Bas...

[Basil is a Gooner]

Thanks guys! And the rest of you - keep voting!

[Basil is a Gooner]

Good Afternoon Everyone

We have some good news which you could be involved in if you have a facebook or twitter account.

Paul has been nominated and now shortlisted for an award from the British Cycling Association for his outstadning charity work both in his wheelchair and on the recumbent, if Paul is to win the award we need your votes ugently please. To vote for Paul go to the following link, scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see Paul Smith, click on his name and then either tweet or like to vote. Thank you.

http://www.goskyride.com/News/ShowArtic ... cling-Hero

Today saw Paul put in some speed weights and spend time on the track at the Mountbatten Centre, Portsmouth he was really pleased to be back training for real and not just ticking over training as he has been doing since April. Last week we set up the just giving page and within a few hours some very kind people (you know who you are) donated £25 so we'd like to thank you very much for starting the ball rolling!

No dog chases yet as Paul hasn't hit the road but he's pleased with what he's done to date and doesn't feel so tired. We are hoping to get the recumbent chair in Mid-January from our friend Barry North unless he's using it but as you know the 100 miles will be covered in the recumbent and the wheelchair but to complete the challlenge in 7 hours Paul will use the recumbent for the most part of the journey.

EVENT NOTICE: In February this year we held a special fundraising function on Hayling Island, we had such a great attendance and people are asking if we are going to have another, the answer is - if there is enough interest YES and we hope to hold it in early June 2014. If you are interested in coming to another fun packed night with loads of georgous food then please let us know ASAP please. Thank you.

That's it for this week, please don't forget to vote for Paul and please take a moment to visit the facebook page and click on 'Like' and even more importqantly please visit the just giving page and give as much or as little as you can afford. The facebook and just giving pages are listed below. Thank you.


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates

[Basil is a Gooner]

Good Morning Everyone

Last week we told you about Paul's nomination for an award for all his charity work and his continued fight to overcome the hurdles that he faces due to his disabilities, to date Paul is last in the voting so if you feel he deserves the award then please go to the following link and vote for him either using your twitter or facebook accounts. Thank you.

http://www.goskyride.com/GetIntoCycling ... ty-cyclist

When you reach the page just click on tweet or like and this will take you to the sign in page of your twitter or facebook account, sign in and your vote will then be counted. Thank you to the people who have already voted!


The past week has seen training stepped up and Paul now does 3 days of training a week spending 3 hours on each of these days in the gym and 30 minutes on the track, the aim at this stage is to lose as much weight around his abdominal region as much as possible before he starts 6 days per week training. His daily routine is as follows: Rise at 5am have breakfast and get in to his sports wear and then prepare his gear, give the chair a once over and prepare is fluids for training. His fluids are one litre bottle of water and one litre bottle orange squash mixed with water, breakfast consists of cornflakes, a banana and cup of tea.


EVENT NOTICE: In early June 2014 we will be holding a fundraising event on Hayling Island, the venue will be the Piranha Bar again. If you are interested in coming to another fun packed night with loads of gorgeous food then please let us know ASAP please, we have already sold 12 tickets and expect the event to sell out again. Thank you.


PLEASE NOTE: Each Week will have a small piece about Save the Children's work, we have invited Emma Johnson to keep us up to date on events around the world that Save the Children are involved in and the importance of Challenge Emirates.

That's it for this week, please don't forget to vote for Paul and please take a moment to visit the facebook page and click on 'Like' and even more importantly please visit the just giving page and give as much or as little as you can afford. The facebook and just giving pages are listed below. Thank you.


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates

[Basil is a Gooner]

And PLEASE vote for Paul - you can vote on Twitter AND facebook. He really needs your votes, and if you are viewing this thread please take a second to do it!

Cheers!

[Basil is a Gooner]

Good Afternoon Everyone

In this weeks update - Update on Paul's training and a piece about Save the Children work by Emma Johnson.

This week has seen Paul increase his training a bit more, heavier weights and lots of speed work in the gym, the weather has been kind so the track work has progressed well and Paul is feeling that much happier with this early progress and everything is on track as it should be, even at this early stage of training. This year's training is completely different to other years as Paul will need to be able to sustain speed for a long time if he is to beat the 7 hours time limit that he has set himself.

Please don't forget to vote for Paul at the link below. Thank you.

http://www.goskyride.com/GetIntoCycling ... ty-cyclist

Thank you to the people who have already voted!


EVENT NOTICE: In early June 2014 we will be holding a fundraising event on Hayling Island, the venue will be the Piranha Bar again. If you are interested in coming to another fun packed night with loads of gorgeous food then please let us know ASAP please, we have already sold 12 tickets and expect the event to sell out again. Thank you.


PLEASE NOTE: Each Week will have a small piece about Save the Children's work, we have invited Emma Johnson to keep us up to date on events around the world that Save the Children are involved in and the importance of Challenge Emirates.

This week in Save the Children:

Save the Children has been working both in Syria and in the neighbouring countries refugee camps delivering aid in the form of healthcare / food / clothing and children protection services since the conflict began. This week we have seen tens of thousands of Syrian refugees pouring over the border into Iraqi Kurdistan and have launched an emergency response to deal with the stranded refugees, distributing basic supplies to families waiting to be registered. Alan Paul, Save the Children's emergency team leader, has said that "this is an unprecedented influx of refugees, and the main concern is that so many of them are stuck out in the open at the border or in emergency reception areas with limited, if any, access to basic services”.

Any support you can offer Challenge Emirates will help make get vital, lifesaving aid to those who need it the most, as quickly as possible. Thank you for your interest in our work

Emma Johnson

Regional Fundraising Manager

Next week, Maternity Clinics in Liberia


Save the Children works in 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential.


That's it for this week, please don't forget to vote for Paul and please take a moment to visit the facebook page and click on 'Like' and even more importantly please visit the just giving page and give as much or as little as you can afford. The facebook and just giving pages are listed below. Thank you.


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates

[Basil is a Gooner]

This Week - Good News, Change in training, British Cycling award and Emma Johnson on Save the Children's work.

GOOD NEWS: After sending out last weeks email with requests for training gear and medical supplies, we received an email from Paul Lyon on Gibraltar. Paul informed us that he had an anonymous sponsor/donor for Paul's training gear, we are so pleased with this and Paul is overwhelmed that someone so far away has made this kind and generous gesture, we thank you whoever you are and welcome you aboard the 'WHEELCHAIR OF HOPE'!

All we need sponsorship for is medical equipment which will cost £345, the medical supplies are extremely important as Paul uses them everyday to protect his hands, arms and shoulders from further injuries. All equipment does get used up quickly so your kind support would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


Training: Again it's all change on the training front, we are shifting to heavier weights for a while and Neil, Paul's trainer has joined the fray now that work has given him some free time. Having someone training with Paul is a plus, it boosts his confidence more and takes the monotony out of training alone, training alone is what Paul will be doing when he moves to the roads at the end of November and although Paul is one determined man loneliness can have it's downside. The weather is beginning to turn, the rain is with us now, hopefully not everyday.

British Cycling Awards: The result of the British Cycling award saw Paul placed last overall but he doesn't mind that, it was the nomination that counts, we would like to thank all of you who voted and Mike Morley who nominated Paul.

Baby News: On Tuesday 3rd September 2013, Paul and I became grandparents again, a baby girl weighing 6lbs 10oz!


EVENT NOTICE: The date for the fundraising event is likely to be 31st May 2014, the event will be held on Hayling Island at the Piranha Bar again. If you are interested in coming to another fun packed night with loads of gorgeous food then please let us know ASAP please, we have already sold 12 tickets and expect the event to sell out again. Thank you.


This week in Save the Children:
A couple of weeks ago, The Philippines experienced some of the heaviest rains on record in the capital Manila. Sixty thousand people were displaced and the rains kept on coming. Several Save the Children’s staff’s homes in Manila were flooded. We were ready to respond.



Save the Children response

Save the Children teams were already on standby in Manila, National Capital Region, to respond to the needs of the affected population
Our teams monitored the situation, and went through the process of contacting our local partners in the affected areas with a view to responding
We were particularly concerned that children could become separated from their parents amongst the chaos caused by the floods
We had stocks in country ready to be mobilised


We have worked in the Philippines for the past 30 years and are currently responding to communities affected by last year’s Typhoon Bopha, and Typhoon Utor earlier this month.

Save the Children will continue to be ready to respond to emergencies like this, whenever and wherever they happen. Whilst at the same time dealing with the largest humanitarian crisis of our generation in Syria. More on our response in Syria next week…


Save the Children works in 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential.




That's it for this week, please visit the just giving page and give as much or as little as you can afford. So far the justgiving total is £84.33, lets see if we can make this £500 by next week.The facebook and just giving pages are listed below. Thank you.


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates




Jane, Paul and Crew

[Basil is a Gooner]

This Week - Good News, Bad News, warts and all!

GOOD NEWS: We have received the cheque from the anonymous sponsor in Gibraltar for Paul's training gear, so Paul will now be warmer when out on the road this winter.

Can you help with Sponsorship Please:

We are looking for sponsorship for Paul's medical supplies the cost for the supplies is £345, we have almost depleted the last of the medical supplies that we have left and urgently need help please. All equipment does get used up quickly so your kind support would be greatly appreciated. We also need sponsorship for Paul's energy drinks, the total cost for these is £265, so if you are able to help with this as well we would also be very grateful.

In return we will advertise your company or you as an individual if you so wish to be, your name/company will be on all our communications for the duration of training and the challenge on the 5th April 2014.Thank you.


Training: Paul has finished the week on a high in the gym, he completed 2 hours of training in just 1 hour 15 minutes, he is just eating up the weights and enjoying the sessions without any problems at all, as he doesn't need to go out on the road or track he can concentrate on speed and strength work for a while. Alan Manning or Mannering as Paul calls him has volunteered to pop down from Kent to help him train in November in the gym....You don't know what you're letting yourself in to Alan ha ha!

So we are still on schedule and Paul is looking forward to next weeks training as he moves up to five days a week and increased the time to 3 hours per day.



EVENT NOTICE: The date for the fundraising event is likely to be 31st May 2014, the event will be held on Hayling Island at the Piranha Bar again. If you are interested in coming to another fun packed night with loads of gorgeous food then please let us know ASAP please, we have already sold 12 tickets and expect the event to sell out again. Thank you.


This week in Save the Children:

Unfortunately Emma has been very busy with her work for Save the Children so there is no article on Syria this week, we look forward to her update next week.

That's it for this week, please visit the just giving page and give as much or as little as you can afford. So far the justgiving total is £84.33, lets see if we can make this £500 by next week.The facebook and just giving pages are listed below. Thank you.


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates

[Basil is a Gooner]

This Week - Training, Syria and a kind donation. If you have time please read through the whole email so you don't miss out on anything, especially the article on Syria from the CEO of Save the Children. Thank you so much.


URGENT - Can you help with Sponsorship Please.

We are looking for sponsorship for Paul's medical supplies the cost for the supplies is £345 and his energy drinks which will cost £265. The most important being the medical supplies so if you or anyone you know may be able to help us with these two items we would be very grateful!

In return we will advertise your company or you as an individual if you so wish to be, your name/company will be on all our communications for the duration of training and the challenge on the 5th April 2014.Thank you.


Training: Training is going really well, Paul is still on schedule and has a scheduled week off next week. Paul is still in the gym for 3 hours a day and now up to 5 days per week, he is now using the hand bike machine to condition him ready for the recumbent, which again will be kindly loaned to him by Barry North who has supported Paul for the past 3 years, thank you Barry. I can see next week being a struggle for Paul as he doesn't like to take time out from training but we all know it's essential and part of the training programme. Paul recieved a consignment of gloves from his sponsors Globaleather this week ready for road training.



EVENT NOTICE Update: We have kindly been donated a camera by Ray of the London Camera Exchange, Civic Centre, Southampton, the camera is worth £250!

The date for the fundraising event is 31st May 2014, the event will be held on Hayling Island at the Piranha Bar again. If you are interested in coming to another fun packed night with loads of gorgeous food then please let us know ASAP please, we have already sold 12 tickets and expect the event to sell out again. Thank you.

Donation: Earlier this week we had a kind donation of £50 and would like to thank Lawrence for that very kind donation. Thank you.

This week in Save the Children:

Due to a computer failure at Save the Children HQ, Emma is unable to give us her update on Syria but we do have an update from Justin CEO of Save the Children. This is a lengthy article but worth a read and definitely worth support by donating through our just giving page below!

I have found myself in some of the most desperately sad and frustrating situations in my line of work. None more so than earlier this week standing on the roof of a school on the Lebanon border with Syria watching the sickening sight of shells landing on Homs and Al Quasyr.
Seconds after the strike the smoke billowed and I was left fearing the worst: individuals killed or maimed; families torn apart and left homeless.

But it is not until you speak to the children that the true horror is brought home. Youngsters who have borne witness to atrocities no one should ever see tell of the suffering and brutal reality of the war in Syria.

Stories like that of 13 year-old Majed who talked about how a machine gun mounted on a tank shot 15 people on the street where he stood. He explained to me how he saw his best friend die on the way to a funeral after he was shot in the back, describing how the bullet came through his tummy and how the hole it left couldn’t be covered with both his hands.

Stories like that of the family of four children I sat with who said their parents had been kidnapped and were still missing. Or the little girl I met who had survived 60 days of bombing - during the fiercest onslaught, her uncle told me, a shell fell on the homes of their friends and neighbours every second.

I’m sorry to say these stories aren’t one-offs. Thousands of children coming across the border have similar tales of anguish, turmoil and hurt none of us can imagine. They speak of snipers on the roof tops of their homes, tanks rolling down streets where they once played and sleeping in the fields to avoid nightly shelling.

The children affected by the war are severely traumatised: they wet their beds, their sleep is broken by nightmares and some have started self-harming. They are desperate, frightened and all too often alone.

Save the Children is doing whatever it takes, both inside Syria and in neighbouring countries, to give children and their families the basics they need to survive. In Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan we are helping to support thousands of families - providing food, clothing, shelter and education for children and families who are facing extremely difficult conditions. Our specialist teams are also helping children to overcome their traumatic experiences through emotional support and play therapy.

Along with our partners, we have already reached more than 600,000 people across the region, including 360,000 children. Our teams are working flat out but we cannot scale up our efforts to meet the growing need without additional funding.

The world can do more. We need more aid. We need humanitarian access – cross-border and cross-line. We need a political solution. As horrible as the chemical attacks were - and there can be no doubt they were a crime - the on-going war is killing many, many more.

As a humanitarian agency we don’t take sides. We want to work with all children that need help and we need to see that international law is upheld throughout Syria, on all sides.

Unfortunately, Save the Children often encounters situations where children are dying – through war or natural disaster. But it’s not often we see children targeted. Last week I asked the children I met why they think they’re being targeted. Their answer was truly terrifying: “Because we’re told we are the future.”

Standing on the roof of that school, a hundred metres from the border, it felt like Syria is losing a generation and what’s at stake now is the future of an entire country. We desperately need a way of protecting children.

Our message to the international community is simple: even if you can’t agree on anything else, surely you must agree that Save the Children and other humanitarian agencies must have total access to help those most in need.


That's it for this week, please visit the just giving page and give as much or as little as you can afford. So far the justgiving total is £134.33, lets see if we can make this £500 by next week.The facebook and just giving pages are listed below. Thank you.


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates

[Basil is a Gooner]

Good Morning Everyone

This is an extraordinary update which we thought should be sent out to you all so you know of the generous sponsors that have come forward over the weekend and also a change of date for the fundraising evening in 2014.

On Saturday we received an email from Gibraltar, the email has informed us that some very generous and kind people have agreed to sponsor Paul's medical supplies, we would sincerely like to thank these people for the kindness and welcome you all aboard the 'WHEELCHAIR OF HOPE', we look foward to meeting you all when Paul takes on his 2015 challenge in Gibraltar. There is still on opportunity for sponsorship for energy drinks, the cost of energy drinks is £265 for the whole of training and the Challenge. Thank you.

EVENT: Due to a mix-up on our part, the fundraiser date has been changed to Saturday April 26th 2014, this means that more people will be able to attend as well and we look forward to seeing you all there for what will be another fun filled night. Thank you to the Piranha Bar for allowing us to hold the event there again. Thank you for your kind support again!


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates

[Basil is a Gooner]

Good Afternoon Everyone


This Week - Rain doesn't stop play! Donate using your mobile phone (see below) and Save the Children Article.

To donate using your mobile phone please text code - NDLT60, Your amount £? to 70070.

It's as easy as that and anonymous. Thank you.


Training: All has gone well this week, in fact Paul felt at his strongest yesterday which is really good, he has increased the amount of weight he is lifting once again and is really working hard as usual. His fantastic relations with the sports centre personnel is really good they help him out a lot and it keeps his spirits up knowing he has support around him when required. His mileage on the hand bike machine is increasing ready for when he collects the recumbent from Barry North who continues to support Paul as well. The weather has not been the best this week but it hasn't put Paul off his training, definitely mad, mad, mad but well committed! ONLY 6 WEEKS UNTIL PAUL GOES ON THE ROAD.


EVENT NOTICE: Tickets continue to be sold for the fundraising event on April 26th 2014, don't miss out on a fun evening which everyone WILL enjoy! Book your tickets, you will have plenty of time to save up the £22.50 per head, which includes food and a fantastic singer.

Save the Children Article this week.

Emergencies update - India - 14/10/2013




Early reports indicate that the impact of Cyclone Phailin is less severe than anticipated. However, winds in the area remain strong and access to many areas is challenging, so the full extent of the damage is not yet known.

It is hoped that casualties have been reduced by early preparedness and evacuations of coastal areas. Yesterday, more than 500,000 people had been evacuated from their homes, many taking refuge in cyclone shelters.

Children are especially vulnerable during and after cyclones, as they can easily become separated from their parents and not know where to go or what to do. They are also likely to be less resilient to the kind of waterborne diseases that flourish after natural disasters such as this, and may be very scared as a result of what they have experienced.

In the coming days, our teams will be working to ensure children are safe and that families in the area have access to what they need – things like shelter, clean water, food, healthcare and safe places for children to play.

Save the Children’s Emergency Fund means we can be ready to respond immediately when emergencies like Cyclone Phailin strike


Save the Children works in 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential.



That's it for this week, please visit the just giving page and give as much or as little as you can afford. So far the justgiving total is £134.33.

The facebook and just giving pages are listed below and now another way of donating just in case you can't go online, why not pick up your mobile phone and follow the instructions above. Thank you.


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates




Jane, Paul and Crew

Supporting

[Basil is a Gooner]

Good Afternoon Everyone

Welcome to the last update of October, hope you are finding them interesting, especially training and the articles on Save the Children.


This Week - Training, good news and Save the Children Article.


Training: Training has gone really well for Paul this week although it was tough and lonely on Wednesday. He has increased the amount of weight he is lifting yet again, I just don't know where his limits lie nowadays. He is currently trying to lose weight around his abdominal region at the moment as this area will be important for when he goes on the road as it will restrict his breathing when climbing hills, it's proving to be difficult but like everything he will achieve it! Everyday Paul looks forward to his training and when that's over he looks forward to the next day and so on, he adds in new exercises and works really hard he is focused on each and every challenge that lies before him. When you consider his own issues and age it's quite amazing how he does even the smallest amount of training, he never complains about training and always thinks of others that will benefit from the end product, training continues this afternoon. ONLY 5 WEEKS UNTIL PAUL GOES ON THE ROAD.

Good News: Paul was speaking to Barry North this morning and we are delighted to inform you that Barry is once again lending Paul his recumbent, we thank Barry most sincerely and look forward to seeing him again in January.

And.....We received a £20 donation on Saturday, taking the total to £154.33.

EVENT NOTICE: Tickets continue to be sold for the fundraising event on April 26th 2014, don't miss out on a fun evening which everyone WILL enjoy! Book your tickets, you will have plenty of time to save up the £22.50 per head, which includes food and a fantastic singer.

Save the Children Article this week.

On Tuesday last week a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippine islands of Bohol, Cebu and Siquijor, destroying homes, damaging power supplies and killing at least 151 people. Our humanitarian response unit was in place to respond almost immediately and is already on the ground in Bohol setting up base, conducting needs assessments and initiating activities that will include the distribution of non-food item packages, and establishing temporary learning spaces for children affected by the earthquake.


That's it for this week, please visit the just giving page and give as much or as little as you can afford. So far the justgiving total is £154.33.


The facebook and just giving pages are listed below and now another way of donating just in case you can't go online, why not pick up your mobile phone and follow the instructions above. Thank you.


Just Giving www.justgiving.com/ChallengeEmirates

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChallengeEmirates




Jane, Paul and Crew