Please can this be made a sticky!
As some of you may have seen in the past, Paul Smith has been raising money for Save the Children over the last few years in association with Arsenal. He has been a season ticket holder for many years and over the years has made many friends at Arsenal. His latest challenge is as follows:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundrai ... egibraltar
Thank you for visiting Paul’s fundraising page in aid of Save the Children (Gibraltar) and Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. In April 2015 Paul will push himself in his wheelchair to the top of Gibraltar Rock to hopefully raise £100,000 for the two very worthwhile charities.
Paul has a head injury with several physical injuries due to a car accident in 1991, since he was able to Paul has concentrated most of his time raising funds for children’s charities around the world, raising an amazing £2.1 million pounds to date. Despite his own difficulties Paul has never sought sympathy, he has always thought that there are many more people in this world who are worse off than he is.
Paul has taken on 8 challenges in his wheelchair, including pushing himself 325 miles from Plymouth UK to London UK this took 5 and a half days leaving him remarkable fresh at the end of it while the rest of us were very tired.
Please help Paul reach his £100,000 target by making a donation of whatever you can afford, children in Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital are seriously ill and there are many more around the world who really need our help! Thank you.
Paul is an amazing guy who will do anything to help others despite his own difficult circumstances and I hope you are able to help support him in his fundraising - you can sponsor from £1 and every little helps. I will post regular updates on how his training is going and I am sure he will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Please also follow him on twitter and retweet his updates to your friends to get their support too!
https://twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Thanks!
Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
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Basil is a Gooner
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Basil is a Gooner
- Posts: 7025
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Re: Challenge Gibralter
The latest update:
Training:
After a long week last week things have got back to normal and Paul was on the track on Monday with the medicine ball in the pouring rain and high winds, to the gym on Tuesday with shoulder and chest weights and the Guru at 'Agony Level' which by the way is 19 exercises without stopping and not 15 as originally stated a few updates ago. Back on the track Wednesday with the weight sledge however Paul is experiencing problems with the front wheels lifting off the ground as he pulls the weights along and cannot understand why this is happening. Wednesday's session was followed by speed work on the track on Thursday, this is the first time Paul has done this kind of speed work and was pleased with the outcome. Paul has had the usual niggles which are being well looked after by Up & Running who are doing a superb job keeping Paul on the road etc. As winter draws near we will all be wrapping up and staying indoors in the warm, not Paul, he'll be on the track or on the hills with coach Bronwin in all weathers. As we move forward the hill training will become more intense and Paul will have to attempt to replicate the challenge as best as possible and there's no substitute for hill training, he thrives on his training and always looks forward to each day and the surprises Bronwin springs upon him. Paul prefers not to know what Bronwin has in store each session and gives 100% plus all the time, that way we can only improve on what we achieve he says. I still remain amazed at what Paul puts himself through and what he has achieved in training when I hear about it, Bronwin has the right training regime for him so we know he is in good hands and as Bronwin is a paralympian coach she understands Paul's disabilities. Paul doesn't know his limits, he doesn't appear to have any, as his motto is "TO THE LIMIT and BEYOND". I'm sure you will be keen to learn what he gets up to when the weather really does deteriorate, watch this space because if it's anything like other years, you'll be gob smacked!
As you can see the donations are increasing and we still hope the running total will reach the £10,000 mark by Christmas.
Training:
After a long week last week things have got back to normal and Paul was on the track on Monday with the medicine ball in the pouring rain and high winds, to the gym on Tuesday with shoulder and chest weights and the Guru at 'Agony Level' which by the way is 19 exercises without stopping and not 15 as originally stated a few updates ago. Back on the track Wednesday with the weight sledge however Paul is experiencing problems with the front wheels lifting off the ground as he pulls the weights along and cannot understand why this is happening. Wednesday's session was followed by speed work on the track on Thursday, this is the first time Paul has done this kind of speed work and was pleased with the outcome. Paul has had the usual niggles which are being well looked after by Up & Running who are doing a superb job keeping Paul on the road etc. As winter draws near we will all be wrapping up and staying indoors in the warm, not Paul, he'll be on the track or on the hills with coach Bronwin in all weathers. As we move forward the hill training will become more intense and Paul will have to attempt to replicate the challenge as best as possible and there's no substitute for hill training, he thrives on his training and always looks forward to each day and the surprises Bronwin springs upon him. Paul prefers not to know what Bronwin has in store each session and gives 100% plus all the time, that way we can only improve on what we achieve he says. I still remain amazed at what Paul puts himself through and what he has achieved in training when I hear about it, Bronwin has the right training regime for him so we know he is in good hands and as Bronwin is a paralympian coach she understands Paul's disabilities. Paul doesn't know his limits, he doesn't appear to have any, as his motto is "TO THE LIMIT and BEYOND". I'm sure you will be keen to learn what he gets up to when the weather really does deteriorate, watch this space because if it's anything like other years, you'll be gob smacked!
As you can see the donations are increasing and we still hope the running total will reach the £10,000 mark by Christmas.
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DB10GOONER
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Re: Challenge Gibralter
Stickied. A very brave guy doing great work. Please support. 
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Basil is a Gooner
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Re: Challenge Gibralter
Thanks DB10 you are my favourite!DB10GOONER wrote:Stickied. A very brave guy doing great work. Please support.
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DB10GOONER
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Re: Challenge Gibralter
I know, B-Zil. I know.Basil is a Gooner wrote:Thanks DB10 you are my favourite!DB10GOONER wrote:Stickied. A very brave guy doing great work. Please support.
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Basil is a Gooner
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Re: Challenge Gibralter
Doesn't time fly when you're enjoying yourself, another wet and windy week here in Portsmouth has seen Paul take on Farlington Avenue, the Hospital hill, Southwick hill and of course Suicide hill as well as track and gym work but nothing would be complete if he didn't do the Guru. James at Up and Running physio has kept Paul in working order and as we approach heavy weight training this afternoon Paul is raring to go. Neil is back today after his long holiday in South Africa so Paul will have fun beating him for a change. Paul has some concerns that his rim pushes are wearing thin so we are desperately looking for a company who could make a pair to the same specifications as the ones he has on the wheels at the moment, if you know of such a company here in the UK and preferably Portsmouth please could you help us make contact with them or make enquiries on our behalf, thank you. We have received email confirmation of our flight details from Mary Brew of BA, thank you Mary for all the hard work you have put in for us, we really do appreciate everything.
As it's too wet and dangerous for Paul to ascend Butser hill we have been searching for other hills for him to take on and found Lith Avenue which we were informed about sometime ago, now that is one steep hill and I have no idea how Paul is going to get up there but his intention is to take it on this coming Monday. Lith Avenue is situated between Horndean and Cowplain not far from Portsmouth and not too far from Butser hill, the only difference is that it's tarmac and not grass although the road is full of pot holes, should be interesting. I look forward to giving you a progress report next Friday, lets hope the weather is dry. There is now only 6 months before we fly to Gibraltar to take on this challenge, we are very excited about it and we have some supporters here in the UK flying out to see Paul make this climb.
This challenge is only made possible by the kind support of all our sponsors and people like you, we want to take this opportunity to say Thank you for everything you have done for us and the continued support you give us, it really does bring hope to Paul and increases his determination to succeed in reaching the top of Gibraltar Rock.
As it's too wet and dangerous for Paul to ascend Butser hill we have been searching for other hills for him to take on and found Lith Avenue which we were informed about sometime ago, now that is one steep hill and I have no idea how Paul is going to get up there but his intention is to take it on this coming Monday. Lith Avenue is situated between Horndean and Cowplain not far from Portsmouth and not too far from Butser hill, the only difference is that it's tarmac and not grass although the road is full of pot holes, should be interesting. I look forward to giving you a progress report next Friday, lets hope the weather is dry. There is now only 6 months before we fly to Gibraltar to take on this challenge, we are very excited about it and we have some supporters here in the UK flying out to see Paul make this climb.
This challenge is only made possible by the kind support of all our sponsors and people like you, we want to take this opportunity to say Thank you for everything you have done for us and the continued support you give us, it really does bring hope to Paul and increases his determination to succeed in reaching the top of Gibraltar Rock.
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Basil is a Gooner
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Re: Challenge Gibralter
Dont tell everyone!DB10GOONER wrote:I know, B-Zil. I know.Basil is a Gooner wrote:Thanks DB10 you are my favourite!DB10GOONER wrote:Stickied. A very brave guy doing great work. Please support.
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Basil is a Gooner
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Re: Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
Good Morning Everyone
With less than 6 months to go until the challenge everything is on schedule.
Training:
Another hard weeks training has almost come to an end, and some positive results came of it as well. On Monday Paul was due to take on Lith Avenue, a very steep hilly road which is short but very uneven with pot holes included. Unfortunately due to rain it was decided that Paul would not attempt it as it would be far too dangerous, not only is the hill steep it became very slippery, even vehicles found it hard to climb. So with the weather against them it was to the track where Paul managed 4 x 400 metre sledge pulls, slams and a timed lap, the track is heavy going in the wet so the sledge pulls were made even harder because of this but nevertheless everything went well. Tuesday it was in to the gym as planned and Wednesday the dry weather allowed Paul, myself, Bronwin and James from up and running to take a look at Lith Avenue. Without hesitation Paul was on his way up before we had chance to take a breath, he enjoyed it so much he decided to do the climb 4 times and found it good going so everyone left feeling confident and happy. Thursday was back to the gym where Paul mill pressed his heaviest weight to date, 42.5kgs front and back, this was followed up by a TRX workout and then on to the bench for bench press pushing out a maximum weight of 70kgs. It was then time to step up the Guru to 'Torture level' which I am informed was successful and the session was all finished off with kettle bell swings using a 16kg kettle bell. Today it's heavy weights in the main gym before a well earned weekends rest, then on Monday it will be back to the hills as usual. On Wednesday Paul received a consignment of gloves from his glove sponsor Globaleather which should last him until the challenge, thank you Globaleather for your support. Meanwhile there is a lot of work going on in the background to ensure things go well, everyone is now booked in at the O'Callaghan Eliott Hotel, Gibraltar, and we all have our seats booked on the flights, meetings have also been arranged so everything is good.
We now have 12 people/friends flying to Gibraltar to watch Paul take on the Challenge, if there is anyone else intending to fly out please let us know as there are arrangements that we can make to help you see the finish etc. Thank you.
NEWS: The posters are completed, just a few minor adjustments then we can go to print, we would like to thank David Hoyle who has worked tirelessly on the posters throughout despite being a very busy man he has supported us time and time again. If you or anyone else would like posters please get in touch, we will have A5, A4 and A3 sizes.
Total raised so far has reached - £2,395.58 including gift aid. Can we reach £10,000 by Christmas? Please let your friends know. Thank you.
Have a great weekend!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Best Wishes
Jane, Paul and Crew
With less than 6 months to go until the challenge everything is on schedule.
Training:
Another hard weeks training has almost come to an end, and some positive results came of it as well. On Monday Paul was due to take on Lith Avenue, a very steep hilly road which is short but very uneven with pot holes included. Unfortunately due to rain it was decided that Paul would not attempt it as it would be far too dangerous, not only is the hill steep it became very slippery, even vehicles found it hard to climb. So with the weather against them it was to the track where Paul managed 4 x 400 metre sledge pulls, slams and a timed lap, the track is heavy going in the wet so the sledge pulls were made even harder because of this but nevertheless everything went well. Tuesday it was in to the gym as planned and Wednesday the dry weather allowed Paul, myself, Bronwin and James from up and running to take a look at Lith Avenue. Without hesitation Paul was on his way up before we had chance to take a breath, he enjoyed it so much he decided to do the climb 4 times and found it good going so everyone left feeling confident and happy. Thursday was back to the gym where Paul mill pressed his heaviest weight to date, 42.5kgs front and back, this was followed up by a TRX workout and then on to the bench for bench press pushing out a maximum weight of 70kgs. It was then time to step up the Guru to 'Torture level' which I am informed was successful and the session was all finished off with kettle bell swings using a 16kg kettle bell. Today it's heavy weights in the main gym before a well earned weekends rest, then on Monday it will be back to the hills as usual. On Wednesday Paul received a consignment of gloves from his glove sponsor Globaleather which should last him until the challenge, thank you Globaleather for your support. Meanwhile there is a lot of work going on in the background to ensure things go well, everyone is now booked in at the O'Callaghan Eliott Hotel, Gibraltar, and we all have our seats booked on the flights, meetings have also been arranged so everything is good.
We now have 12 people/friends flying to Gibraltar to watch Paul take on the Challenge, if there is anyone else intending to fly out please let us know as there are arrangements that we can make to help you see the finish etc. Thank you.
NEWS: The posters are completed, just a few minor adjustments then we can go to print, we would like to thank David Hoyle who has worked tirelessly on the posters throughout despite being a very busy man he has supported us time and time again. If you or anyone else would like posters please get in touch, we will have A5, A4 and A3 sizes.
Total raised so far has reached - £2,395.58 including gift aid. Can we reach £10,000 by Christmas? Please let your friends know. Thank you.
Have a great weekend!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Best Wishes
Jane, Paul and Crew
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Basil is a Gooner
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Re: Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
Important News on Gibraltar FA football shirts, please read below.
Apology: We would like to apologise to James Morris of Up & Running, for the past few weeks we have referred to James as a physio therapist, James is actually a Sports therapist so for this error we sincerely apologise James.
Fundraising total has risen, see below, it would be great to reach £10,000 by Christmas however, it would be nice to see £3,000 if possible.
Training:
It's been a very tough week things are getting harder and we are looking to move to the roads and hilly tracks at Queen Elizabeth Country Park as the weeks go on. Monday it was off on the 10.12 mile endurance route which as you know includes Suicide hill Tuesday it was gym work as the weather was really bad in the Portsmouth area that day. Wednesday saw Paul back at Lith Avenue where he made 4 climbs again, this time it was wet and very slippery so it meant more strain on the arms and wrists, nevertheless Paul managed the 4 climbs in 30 minutes which was really good. Thursday Paul returned to the track for some speed work and was really pleased with the days training and although it has been intense we are pleased with the whole week. Even though it's Paul's birthday today it will be heavies in the gym with Neil this afternoon as usual just to round the week off. There is one more week of training to go before Paul takes a scheduled break, during the week he will recieve intense sports therapy treatment to revitalise him ready for the next session of training which I expect will be even harder than the last 7 months. As we approach the challenge training will get harder and harder, so if you've been amazed at what Paul is doing so far there's more to come, we are praying that there will be a snow free winter but if there is snow and it's not too deep Paul will be out in it!
We now have 12 people/friends flying to Gibraltar to watch Paul take on the Challenge, if there is anyone else intending to fly out please let us know as there are arrangements that we can make to help you see the finish etc. Thank you.
BIG NEWS: On Monday We recieved a call from Ernest of Sports and Leisure in Gibraltar informing us that he has two national football shirts signed by the whole Gibraltar FA squad. This news is very exciting and very much appreciated as the shirts will be auctioned off to help raise funds for Save the Children (Gibraltar) and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital through 'Challenge Gibraltar'. However we now learn that there are 3 shirts one red and two white so all three will be used to raise funds for the above charities. Paul will be presented with the shirts by the President of the Gibraltar FA when we arrive in Gibraltar , Paul and the crew consider this a great honour and look forward to recieving the shirts! We would like to thank Ernest of Sports and leisure (Gibraltar) and the whole of the Gibraltar team for this very generous act of kindness, which we are sure will raise a considerable amount of money for the two charities. This is the first time Gibraltar have been in the European qualifiers so these shirts are very special!!!
We can inform you that the auction is now open and will close as soon as Paul arrives at the top of the Rock finish line on the 18th April 2015. So far the red shirt has reached £120 and one white shirt is at £100. Why not see if you can own one of these special shirts by bidding on them and helping two very worthwhile causes. Thank you
NEWS: Posters have been printed and arrived from Save the Children yesterday, if you or anyone else would like posters please get in touch, we have A5, A4 and A3 sizes.
Total raised so far has reached - £2,445.58 including gift aid. Can we reach £10,000 by Christmas? Please let your friends know. Thank you.
Have a great weekend!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Best Wishes
Jane, Paul and Crew
Apology: We would like to apologise to James Morris of Up & Running, for the past few weeks we have referred to James as a physio therapist, James is actually a Sports therapist so for this error we sincerely apologise James.
Fundraising total has risen, see below, it would be great to reach £10,000 by Christmas however, it would be nice to see £3,000 if possible.
Training:
It's been a very tough week things are getting harder and we are looking to move to the roads and hilly tracks at Queen Elizabeth Country Park as the weeks go on. Monday it was off on the 10.12 mile endurance route which as you know includes Suicide hill Tuesday it was gym work as the weather was really bad in the Portsmouth area that day. Wednesday saw Paul back at Lith Avenue where he made 4 climbs again, this time it was wet and very slippery so it meant more strain on the arms and wrists, nevertheless Paul managed the 4 climbs in 30 minutes which was really good. Thursday Paul returned to the track for some speed work and was really pleased with the days training and although it has been intense we are pleased with the whole week. Even though it's Paul's birthday today it will be heavies in the gym with Neil this afternoon as usual just to round the week off. There is one more week of training to go before Paul takes a scheduled break, during the week he will recieve intense sports therapy treatment to revitalise him ready for the next session of training which I expect will be even harder than the last 7 months. As we approach the challenge training will get harder and harder, so if you've been amazed at what Paul is doing so far there's more to come, we are praying that there will be a snow free winter but if there is snow and it's not too deep Paul will be out in it!
We now have 12 people/friends flying to Gibraltar to watch Paul take on the Challenge, if there is anyone else intending to fly out please let us know as there are arrangements that we can make to help you see the finish etc. Thank you.
BIG NEWS: On Monday We recieved a call from Ernest of Sports and Leisure in Gibraltar informing us that he has two national football shirts signed by the whole Gibraltar FA squad. This news is very exciting and very much appreciated as the shirts will be auctioned off to help raise funds for Save the Children (Gibraltar) and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital through 'Challenge Gibraltar'. However we now learn that there are 3 shirts one red and two white so all three will be used to raise funds for the above charities. Paul will be presented with the shirts by the President of the Gibraltar FA when we arrive in Gibraltar , Paul and the crew consider this a great honour and look forward to recieving the shirts! We would like to thank Ernest of Sports and leisure (Gibraltar) and the whole of the Gibraltar team for this very generous act of kindness, which we are sure will raise a considerable amount of money for the two charities. This is the first time Gibraltar have been in the European qualifiers so these shirts are very special!!!
We can inform you that the auction is now open and will close as soon as Paul arrives at the top of the Rock finish line on the 18th April 2015. So far the red shirt has reached £120 and one white shirt is at £100. Why not see if you can own one of these special shirts by bidding on them and helping two very worthwhile causes. Thank you
NEWS: Posters have been printed and arrived from Save the Children yesterday, if you or anyone else would like posters please get in touch, we have A5, A4 and A3 sizes.
Total raised so far has reached - £2,445.58 including gift aid. Can we reach £10,000 by Christmas? Please let your friends know. Thank you.
Have a great weekend!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Best Wishes
Jane, Paul and Crew
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Basil is a Gooner
- Posts: 7025
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Re: Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
Hello Everyone
Welcome to the first update of 2015.
We would like to wish you ALL a successful and peaceful 2015 with good health and happiness throughout!
Unfortunately we enter the new year with an injury to Paul which happened on Sunday 28th December while he was out on a 7 mile training push. A motorist side swiped Paul and hit him, Paul was thrown from his chair and has sustained an injury to his right shoulder. The shoulder is stiff and a little painful but Paul has trained since and will continue to do so. The motorist deliberately hit Paul and then sped off leaving Paul on the ground and shaken from the experience, no one stopped to offer assistance which was more surprising than the hit and run. We have not reported this to the police as Paul doesn't want the hassle, getting to the top of the Rock is his main objective and that's what he is continuing to concentrate on. Thank you to those who have already contacted us about the incident on Facebook and Twitter your support is comforting!
Urgent: If anyone who can help with gradients of 6 roads that Paul trains on please get in touch, we did contact the relevant authority but they were unfortunately able to help. Thank you.
Training:
Training continued over the Christmas/New year period and despite the incident things have gone very well, Sunday was the 7 mile training push followed by Tuesday on a frozen track at the Mountbatten Centre for a 1 mile warm up (see photos attached) then into the gym for weights and the Guru, which was rounded off by a 20 minute warm down on the rower covering 1.5 miles. Wednesday was a day off and New Years Day was another push out just to blow the cobwebs away. Training continued this morning on the track with the medicine ball followed by a timed 400 metres, whatever happens I am sure the screw will tighten in the next few weeks and training will get harder. As we enter 2015 Paul is now looking forward to Gibraltar more than ever, with just 3 and a half months to go to the start of the challenge things are now moving along nicely. We have learned that there are parts of the climb that have gradients of between 13% and 20% so I am even more amazed at what Paul intends to take on, we are still looking for confirmation on these gradients and will keep you informed as we get closer to the challenge.
On Christmas Eve Paul and Road Manager, Shaun Johnstone met Paul Lyon from Gibraltar Save the Children and Head Teacher of Bishop Fitzgerald School out there, the meeting was to identify any issues that need to be looked in to and also meet Paul Lyon who has supported this challenge from day 1 we look forward to seeing you again in April Paul.
NEWS: We are just £490 short of the £3,000 mark.
Have a great week!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Best Wishes
Jane, Paul and Crew
Supporting and Gibraltar
Welcome to the first update of 2015.
We would like to wish you ALL a successful and peaceful 2015 with good health and happiness throughout!
Unfortunately we enter the new year with an injury to Paul which happened on Sunday 28th December while he was out on a 7 mile training push. A motorist side swiped Paul and hit him, Paul was thrown from his chair and has sustained an injury to his right shoulder. The shoulder is stiff and a little painful but Paul has trained since and will continue to do so. The motorist deliberately hit Paul and then sped off leaving Paul on the ground and shaken from the experience, no one stopped to offer assistance which was more surprising than the hit and run. We have not reported this to the police as Paul doesn't want the hassle, getting to the top of the Rock is his main objective and that's what he is continuing to concentrate on. Thank you to those who have already contacted us about the incident on Facebook and Twitter your support is comforting!
Urgent: If anyone who can help with gradients of 6 roads that Paul trains on please get in touch, we did contact the relevant authority but they were unfortunately able to help. Thank you.
Training:
Training continued over the Christmas/New year period and despite the incident things have gone very well, Sunday was the 7 mile training push followed by Tuesday on a frozen track at the Mountbatten Centre for a 1 mile warm up (see photos attached) then into the gym for weights and the Guru, which was rounded off by a 20 minute warm down on the rower covering 1.5 miles. Wednesday was a day off and New Years Day was another push out just to blow the cobwebs away. Training continued this morning on the track with the medicine ball followed by a timed 400 metres, whatever happens I am sure the screw will tighten in the next few weeks and training will get harder. As we enter 2015 Paul is now looking forward to Gibraltar more than ever, with just 3 and a half months to go to the start of the challenge things are now moving along nicely. We have learned that there are parts of the climb that have gradients of between 13% and 20% so I am even more amazed at what Paul intends to take on, we are still looking for confirmation on these gradients and will keep you informed as we get closer to the challenge.
On Christmas Eve Paul and Road Manager, Shaun Johnstone met Paul Lyon from Gibraltar Save the Children and Head Teacher of Bishop Fitzgerald School out there, the meeting was to identify any issues that need to be looked in to and also meet Paul Lyon who has supported this challenge from day 1 we look forward to seeing you again in April Paul.
NEWS: We are just £490 short of the £3,000 mark.
Have a great week!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Best Wishes
Jane, Paul and Crew
Supporting and Gibraltar
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Basil is a Gooner
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Re: Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
Hello Everyone
UPSETTING NEWS: Following my report in last weeks update on Paul's hit and run incident in December, below is a statement from Paul which was posted on his Facebook page yesterday. Despite Paul's statement he remains as upbeat as he possibly can, I request that you take time to read his statement and ask for your continued support where possible. Thank you.
Having had a number of conversations with my Challenge Road Manager, Shaun Johnstone and speaking with my family I am reluctantly informing you, my friends and those of you who have supported me through the years that because of the hit and run incident on 28th December 2014 whilst I was pushing myself in my wheelchair on a training run I have sustained shoulder injuries which are proving hard to deal with. I originally thought it was just my right shoulder but now it is my left shoulder that is causing more problems than the right and both are very painful. Training has been reduced to a bare minimum to help us deal with it and along with my coach Bronwin Carter, Keith and James the sports therapists are working closely with me to see what can be done to help get us to Gibraltar and most importantly to the top of the Rock. As you all know a lot of hard work, training and sponsorship has gone in to this challenge and I want to repay all our sponsors, friends, family and those who have been behind us from the very beginning by reaching the top of Gibraltar Rock and more importantly raise as much as we can for Save the Children (Gibraltar) and Great Ormond St Children's Hospital. As this and every challenge I, along with my support crew have done is for kids who really need help. I would like to appeal to you all for your continued kind support and if possible please continue to donate to the challenge fundraising page which is www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar Please don't let the mindless person who hit me win. I promise that I will continue to work hard to get fit again, and do everything I can with the challenge support crew to reach the top for the Rock! Thank you.
As you can see this is not good news and all because of someone else's actions, Paul has worked very hard for this challenge and I hope that everyone will get behind him and continue to help raise as much money as we can for the two well deserving charities. Challenge Gibraltar was to be Paul's last challenge, he will continue light training with Bronwin with the hope of returning to full training later in the month or early next month, all arrangements both here in the UK and in Gibraltar will continue as normal, his support crew and we as his family will have to think of Paul's health and the future. As most of you know, Paul was involved in an RTA in 1991 and sustained a head injury along with several physical injuries, he has never felt sorry for himself and since he was able to he has taken on several physical challenges to raise funds for local children and large charities, he served in the Royal Navy where he took part in the most gruelling and dangerous team sport in the world, the Royal Navy's field gun competition at Earls Court, London. Paul has never been one to give in easily and he will continue to fight on so he can help as many children as possible with this amazing challenge. Please support Paul. Thank you.
NEWS: We are just £360 short of the £3,000 mark, including gift aid.
Have a great week!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Best Wishes
Jane, Paul and Crew
UPSETTING NEWS: Following my report in last weeks update on Paul's hit and run incident in December, below is a statement from Paul which was posted on his Facebook page yesterday. Despite Paul's statement he remains as upbeat as he possibly can, I request that you take time to read his statement and ask for your continued support where possible. Thank you.
Having had a number of conversations with my Challenge Road Manager, Shaun Johnstone and speaking with my family I am reluctantly informing you, my friends and those of you who have supported me through the years that because of the hit and run incident on 28th December 2014 whilst I was pushing myself in my wheelchair on a training run I have sustained shoulder injuries which are proving hard to deal with. I originally thought it was just my right shoulder but now it is my left shoulder that is causing more problems than the right and both are very painful. Training has been reduced to a bare minimum to help us deal with it and along with my coach Bronwin Carter, Keith and James the sports therapists are working closely with me to see what can be done to help get us to Gibraltar and most importantly to the top of the Rock. As you all know a lot of hard work, training and sponsorship has gone in to this challenge and I want to repay all our sponsors, friends, family and those who have been behind us from the very beginning by reaching the top of Gibraltar Rock and more importantly raise as much as we can for Save the Children (Gibraltar) and Great Ormond St Children's Hospital. As this and every challenge I, along with my support crew have done is for kids who really need help. I would like to appeal to you all for your continued kind support and if possible please continue to donate to the challenge fundraising page which is www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar Please don't let the mindless person who hit me win. I promise that I will continue to work hard to get fit again, and do everything I can with the challenge support crew to reach the top for the Rock! Thank you.
As you can see this is not good news and all because of someone else's actions, Paul has worked very hard for this challenge and I hope that everyone will get behind him and continue to help raise as much money as we can for the two well deserving charities. Challenge Gibraltar was to be Paul's last challenge, he will continue light training with Bronwin with the hope of returning to full training later in the month or early next month, all arrangements both here in the UK and in Gibraltar will continue as normal, his support crew and we as his family will have to think of Paul's health and the future. As most of you know, Paul was involved in an RTA in 1991 and sustained a head injury along with several physical injuries, he has never felt sorry for himself and since he was able to he has taken on several physical challenges to raise funds for local children and large charities, he served in the Royal Navy where he took part in the most gruelling and dangerous team sport in the world, the Royal Navy's field gun competition at Earls Court, London. Paul has never been one to give in easily and he will continue to fight on so he can help as many children as possible with this amazing challenge. Please support Paul. Thank you.
NEWS: We are just £360 short of the £3,000 mark, including gift aid.
Have a great week!
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Best Wishes
Jane, Paul and Crew
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Basil is a Gooner
- Posts: 7025
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:04 am
- Location: Anywhere away from you lot.....
Re: Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
Hello Everyone
Most you in the Portsmouth and surrounding areas would have read in yesterday's Portsmouth News that due to the hit and run in December, Challenge Gibraltar is cancelled.
We can report that is is NOT the case, this has been mis-reported/mis-understood at no time during the interview did we inform the reporter that the challenge is cancelled. As we speak Paul is trying very hard to overcome his injuries and with the help of Bronwin (Paul's coach) and James and Keith of Up and Running we hope to make Gibraltar. Paul is devastated by hit and run but will not give in easily, however both me and the crew will not allow Paul to put his health at risk and we have to think of the future so we will be monitoring him closely. None of this is Paul's fault and those of you who have met him and those of you who know him well will also know he is a fighter and if a decision was made to cancel the challenge it would not be made lightly. The person(s) responsible for the hit and run need to take a long hard look at themselves and understand the effects it has had not only to Paul but to the charities we are supporting, but I doubt they will give it a second thought. One thing I personally would like to make clear is that Paul would not have decided to take on the Gibraltar challenge if he had any doubt in his mind that he would not make it to the top and there are a lot of people that know this, Paul WILL get to Gibraltar and at least make the attempt to reach his goal not least to raise funds for two wonderful charities who so desperately need funds to help children both here and around the world. We ask for your continued support and thank you for the support you have given Paul and the crew over the years, thank you also for your messages of support.
Jane
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
Most you in the Portsmouth and surrounding areas would have read in yesterday's Portsmouth News that due to the hit and run in December, Challenge Gibraltar is cancelled.
We can report that is is NOT the case, this has been mis-reported/mis-understood at no time during the interview did we inform the reporter that the challenge is cancelled. As we speak Paul is trying very hard to overcome his injuries and with the help of Bronwin (Paul's coach) and James and Keith of Up and Running we hope to make Gibraltar. Paul is devastated by hit and run but will not give in easily, however both me and the crew will not allow Paul to put his health at risk and we have to think of the future so we will be monitoring him closely. None of this is Paul's fault and those of you who have met him and those of you who know him well will also know he is a fighter and if a decision was made to cancel the challenge it would not be made lightly. The person(s) responsible for the hit and run need to take a long hard look at themselves and understand the effects it has had not only to Paul but to the charities we are supporting, but I doubt they will give it a second thought. One thing I personally would like to make clear is that Paul would not have decided to take on the Gibraltar challenge if he had any doubt in his mind that he would not make it to the top and there are a lot of people that know this, Paul WILL get to Gibraltar and at least make the attempt to reach his goal not least to raise funds for two wonderful charities who so desperately need funds to help children both here and around the world. We ask for your continued support and thank you for the support you have given Paul and the crew over the years, thank you also for your messages of support.
Jane
www.virginmoneygiving.com/challengegibraltar
www.twitter.com/ChallengerGib
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Basil is a Gooner
- Posts: 7025
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:04 am
- Location: Anywhere away from you lot.....
Re: Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
Dear all,
Attached is an article concerning the incident recently where Paul was deliberately knocked out of his wheelchair on the road. As you can see from the video Paul is clearly affected by this. Its hard to believe people can act in this way. I hope you can help get Paul back on track to complete his challenge.
Thanks.
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/portsm ... -1-6523170
Attached is an article concerning the incident recently where Paul was deliberately knocked out of his wheelchair on the road. As you can see from the video Paul is clearly affected by this. Its hard to believe people can act in this way. I hope you can help get Paul back on track to complete his challenge.
Thanks.
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/portsm ... -1-6523170
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QuartzGooner
- Posts: 14474
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:49 pm
- Location: London
Re: Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
Evil knows no bounds, terrible to hear of this "hit and run" attack, but so much credit to Paul for carrying on with his training.
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franksav63
- Posts: 14520
- Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:07 pm
- Location: Home - Whitechapel - Arsenal Block 6 - Twitter - @franksav63
- Contact:
Re: Challenge Gibraltar - Wheelchair Fundraiser
It's terrible to hear the news that this man, who has gone through so much, has had to deal with this hit and run and also getting abused whilst training? Some 'people' out there really do need to look at themselves! Thanks for the updates Basil!
