In November SIS supporter Chris Thomson took fundraising efforts to new heights. After months of planning and mischievous weather, Chris finally got his chance to jump on November 5th. He assures us that he didn’t have to dodge any fireworks on his way down from 10,000ft.
Everyone at SIS would like to thank Chris and all of those who contributed, its an amazing effort and one which is very much appreciated by the organisation.
You can see footage of Chris’ jump on our youtube channel here
On the 11th of November the Spinal Injuries Scotland Winter Dinner Dance courtesy of Digby Brown was held at The Thistle Hotel in Glasgow. Over 400 guests were treated to a night of fun, entertainment and just the right amount of education courtesy of a range of speakers and acts on the night. Guests were invited to take part in the casino, prize draw and tombola. Prizes ranged from a knitted doll portraying a paramedic to a brand new Nissan Pixo car! Another feature of the evening was the silent auction. Up for grabs were items such as signed football jerseys, luxury cottage breaks, VIP tickets to music and theatre shows and 2 hours of tattooing time amongst many others.
We were delighted to see so many SIS supporters and members alike in attendance. The special guest for the evening was comedienne Ruby Wax, who brought her customary brand of humour. Ruby launched into an equally hilarious and candid routine about her experiences of depression and mental illness. Talking about his own experience of spinal injury was athlete and SIS member Kenny Herriot. Kenny’s message and spirit hit home with the audience, highlighting the effects of a spinal injury and also the need for a determined and positive attitude. Kenny and Clober Farm Project Coordinator Shaun Dargan spoke of their cross country cycle which took place in August.
Also included on the night was a live version of the Noel Edmonds game show ‘Deal or No Deal’, which saw the lucky winner take away £1111.11, the sum chosen to reflect the date of the event.
The evening came to close with the announcement of the raffle winner – who got to drive off in the brand new Nissan Pixo donated by Digby Brown. As much as the Winter Dinner Dance is a celebration and a brilliant evening of glitz and glamour, it is also phenomenally important in gaining extra support and raising awareness. Without the generous contributions of all involved we would never be able to raise the funds necessary to continue and expand on our work. Speaking of which, the total raised from the event was …..£55,000!!! In the current economic climate this is an exceptional amount of money to come from this type of event. Everyone at SIS would like to thank all of those who took part in making the event a success once again.
On the 5th of November SIS supporter Christopher Thomson will throw himself out of a plane, all in the name of raising funds for our charity. Chris has a personal reason for choosing SIS as the beneficiary of this event. We would like to wish him well and thank Chris and all of the people who have donated so far for their fantastic support.
To find out more and contribute please see Chris’ Just Giving page!
http://www.justgiving.com/Christopher-Thomson
Well, after several months of planning and 8 days of blood sweat and tears (yes my tears not Kenny’s unless you count tears of laughter) its all over!
Kenny Herriot super human Wheelchair Athlete and myself took the Spinal Injuries Scotland Clober Farm project to the people of Scotland, to raise awareness on why we should be creating and support projects like this.
The people of Scotland and its visitors were very receptive in listening to us and receiving information packs on Spinal Injuries Scotland and Clober Farm.
We set off from Mull Of Galloway and struggled all the way up to John O’ Groats over 5 days slugging our way up hills and battling serous head winds to be greeted with sunshine and never ending climbs on The Orkney and Shetland Isles. We focused our attention on the isles where we met up with the MSP for Orkney Liam McArthur were interviewed by Radio Orkney. Over on Shetland we held a ‘meet and greet’ session with professional staff at Gilbert Bain Hospital, after we met with staff. We later went on to meet up with I’I Shetland, a local magazine and did a photo shoot and interview and then finished up our trip with an interview on Radio Shetland.
Find out more in our next edition of Newsline, for our full article.
For your own information pack on SIS and Clober Farm download below:
Shaun and Kenny are into their 5th day of this Mammoth journey. We have seen the heavens open, the midgies ravenous and impatient lorry drivers provide a few near misses. It hasn’t been easy. However the guys have met with phenomenal support at every stage. Kind words via our online supporters and well wishers on the road and at the pit stops are keeping the SIS bandwagon moving.
Highlights so far!
Filmed by the BBC
Interviewed by Irvine Beat FM -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP7dY_g6R5E
40mph+ on day 3
All of the well wishers along the way!
BED!…….JUST BED!!!
Still To Come
On to Orkney today and messages of support have already been received from MSP Liam McArthur’s office. Good luck guys and keep up the good work!
Show Your Support
If you can’t meet with the guys on the road why not make a donation by texting SISC52 £3 to 70070.
You may be aware of the Cycle for Clober farm event beginning next week ,with SIS Project Coordinator Shaun Dargan and Athlete Kenny Herriot cycling and hand cycling across Scotland. The guys will be visiting the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injury Unit on Sunday 7th to meet with well wishers and supporters. The team will be setting off from the unit at around 2:30pm for anyone wishing to give their best to the team.
If you can’t make it along why not make a donation by texting SISC52 £3 to 70070.
The BBC have been involved this week by assisting the guys and a short documentary will capture their efforts along the way.
More to come as they set off from the Mull of Galloway in the early hours of Monday 8th August.
Good luck guys!
Spinal Injuries Scotland would like to Thank Ged Holmyard and Martin Quinn from The Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative, for their sponsorship of a Road bike for the up and coming SIS event the Cross Country Cycle with Kenny Herriot and Shaun Dargan to raise funds for our Clober Farm Project.
The Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative donated their Revolution Continental ’11 road bike, we are very grateful for their support with this event.
Check them out here: http://www.edinburghbicycle.com
The Bike will available as a prize at our winter dinner dance.
You can show your support by donating here: http://www.justgiving.com/siscrosscountrycycle
Or Text: 70070 with SISC52 £3
This is a free text.
All of the proceeds will go towards our Clober Farm Project (Accessible Accommodation).
In a bid to raise funds and awareness for SIS’s exciting new project, Clober Farm, Project Co-ordinator Shaun Dargan and Kenny Herriot, Spinal Injuries Scotland member and one of the world’s leading wheelchair athletes and motivational speaker have been challenged to an 8 day cycle event, touring the length of Scotland. Whilst on this journey Shaun and Kenny will be stopping in at various sites to let people know why they are doing the challenge and why a place like Clober Farm is so very important to those with a Spinal Cord Injury.
It is planned that Clober Farm, near Milngavie, will be converted into a state of the art centre for those who have suffered a spinal injury as well as a showcase for modern integrated design of a functioning living space adapted for those in with Spinal Cord Injuries of all levels. Working with architects, designers, planners, local authorities and wheelchair users, SIS envisage Clober Farm to show how existing products and techniques can be used to provide an adaptive environment that is suitable for everyone. The charity needs to raise funds to complete this project.
Shaun and Kenny will set off on August 8th from Mull of Galloway to Loch Ness, by way of John o’ Groats, Orkney and Shetland.
Kenny Herriot has participated in events worldwide such as “The Great Lemon Ride – 4000 miles from San Francisco to New York and has been voted Aberdeen’s sportsman of the year three times. He says: “When Spinal Injuries Scotland asked me to take part in this event there is no way I could decline. Spinal Injuries Scotland has been great support to me since 2000 when a motorbike accident left me paralysed from the waist down. Also, handcycling is a great way to see Scotland’s countryside and I’m just hoping that the weather goes easy on us”
Shaun Dargan, Project Coordinator of SIS isn’t one of the worlds leading athletes, he is just a normal guy who cycles from time to time that loves a challenge. He has a passion for making Clober Farm a centre of excellence for adaptive living whilst still being something people could replicate in their own homes. He says, “I’ve seen Kenny race and was really excited when I was given an opportunity to cycle with him. I have never taken on a challenge quite like this but I’m sure Kenny and I will make a great team, not only in terms of the cycle but of getting SIS’s message of education and awareness across Scotland!” Donations can be made via the SIS office detailed below, or through http://www.justgiving.com/siscrosscountrycycle
PEDAL POWER TO BOOST FUNDS FOR NEW ACCESSIBLE ACCOMODATION
SPINAL INJURIES SCOTLAND CYCLE CHALLENGE 2011
In a bid to raise funds and awareness for SIS’s exciting new project, Clober Farm, Project Co-ordinator Shaun Dargan and Kenny Herriot, Spinal Injuries Scotland member and one of the world’s leading wheelchair athletes and motivational speaker have been challenged to an 8 day cycle event, touring the length of Scotland. Whilst on this journey Shaun and Kenny will be stopping in at various sites to let people know why they are doing the challenge and why a place like Clober Farm is so very important to those with a Spinal Cord Injury.
It is planned that Clober Farm, near Milngavie, will be converted into a state of the art respite centre for those who have suffered a spinal injury as well as a showcase for modern integrated design of a functioning living space adapted for those in with Spinal Cord Injuries of all levels. Working with architects, designers, planners, local authorities and wheelchair users, SIS envisage Clober Farm to show how existing products and techniques can be used to provide an adaptive environment that is suitable for everyone. The charity needs to raise funds to complete this project.
Shaun and Kenny will set off on August 8th from Mull of Galloway to Loch Ness, by way of John o’ Groats, Orkney and Shetland.
Kenny Herriot has participated in events worldwide such as “The Great Lemon Ride – 4000 miles from San Francisco to New York and has been voted Aberdeen’s sportsman of the year three times. He says: “When Spinal Injuries Scotland asked me to take part in this event there is no way I could decline. Spinal Injuries Scotland has been great support to me since 2000 when a motorbike accident left me paralysed from the waist down. Also, handcycling is a great way to see Scotland’s countryside and I’m just hoping that the weather goes easy on us”
Shaun Dargan, Project Coordinator of SIS isn’t one of the worlds leading athletes, he is just a normal guy who cycles from time to time that loves a challenge. He has a passion for making Clober Farm a centre of excellence for adaptive living whilst still being something people could replicate in their own homes. He says, “I’ve seen Kenny race and was really excited when I was given an opportunity to cycle with him. I have never taken on a challenge quite like this but I’m sure Kenny and I will make a great team, not only in terms of the cycle but of getting SIS’s message of education and awareness across Scotland!” Donations can be made via the SIS office detailed below, or through http://www.justgiving.com/siscrosscountrycycle
Pip Robson, Stephen Brown, Anne-Marie Thomson and Kevin Black made up the relay team that raised a fantastic amount of money and awareness for Spinal Injuries Scotland as well as Prostate Scotland by taking part in the Hairy Haggis Team Relay.
You will have to wait until the next edition of Newsline for the full story.
Here is a picture of Stephen, Pip, Anne-Marie and Kevin with more pictures to feature in Newsline.
Stephen, Pip, Anne-Marie and Kevin
I know they are facing away but you need to check the next Newsline for more pictures.
Ronnie Dodd 31 is planning to swim the full 27mile length of Loch Lomond on Saturday to raise funds for Spinal Injuries Scotland and Momentum.
Initially Ronnie only planned the swim as a fitness challenge, but later decided to do it for charity. He chose SIS and Momentum because of the support and assistance they gave to one of his friends, Gill Lindsay.
SIS member, Gill, sustained a spinal injury two years ago as a result of a fall from her loft. She received support from SIS volunteers when she was an inpatient at the QENSIU and believes both charities played a huge part in her rehab.
To put Ronnie’s epic, 27mile challenge into perspective, the English Channel swim is a mere 19miles! Ronnie has been training 5 days a week for the past year to get in shape for this.
You can support Ronnie via his just giving page here.
All of us at SIS wish Ronnie the best of luck (and weather!) for Saturday.
To find out more about Momentum click here.
Ronnie’s challenge has also featured in the Glasgow Evening Times here.
