27 December 07

Corporate Sponsors Required

If you are reading this as a corporate company, then I really need your help.

Besides raising money for Arthritis Care, I also need to raise money to get me and the team from Lands End to John O’Groats.

So what do we need?

We need petrol for the vehicles, approx for 2 vehicles, £400

We need food to feed the team, say £36 to £40 per day.

We need to hire camping gear, including 3 tents, 6 good camp beds, table and chairs

We need the use of2 vehicles, a van suitable to hold me in a power wheelchair and a van or car as a safty car driving behind me as i make the challenge.

If you can help to provide any or part of the above, can you please contact
Vincent Moran from Arthritis Care email address vincentm@arthritiscare.org.uk
for more details

Thank you

Charlie Hankins

24th December 07

Charlie Hankins Book (See photograph)

Charlies first trip was in 1986 the second in 1990, his trips took 48 days in his hand propelled wheelchair.

Charlie Hankins was a hero in every sense of the word. After losing both legs and losing much of the use of one hand in a battle in North Africa during WW2 while serving with the Black Watch regiment, he spent much of the letter stages of his life at the Royal Star and Garter home for disabled service personnel. While there he was issued with a hand propelled invalid chair, he adapted this to take gears, and after many fund raising events for the home, he decided to take on the ultimate UK logistical challenge, the Lands end to John o' Groats journey, not once but twice he completed this arduous journey.

You can now read his story in his book "Apart of my life in a family at war" this book costs £5 plus £2 p&p,

ALL proceeds go to the Royal Star and Garter home in Surrey. Cheques to be made payable to Jack Adams, 19 Imperial Cres, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees TS20 2ER.For further information contact me on 01642 657752.

Electric Vehicles Support for E2E

21 December 07

Electric Vehicles.

I had a thought today, this challenge is a good way to promote eclectic vehicles and for me to go green. Do any of you know anything about electric vehicles? If you do, can you please email me.

Do you have a electric vehicle? If you do, please tell me anything you can about it.

Will keep you informed on this blog about any progress

Re-mortgage

20 December 07
Re-mortgage

I told you all that I would share the ups and downs of arranging this challenge, well we have had a lot of ups now it is the turn of the downs.

Yesterday, 19th, via my local supplier, I learned that the manufactures of the Alber Adventure will not loan me the chair for the challenge, this I find very surprising considering the amount of publicity that the World Record Attempt would create for the Alber Adventure and the company. If you were going to buy a power wheelchair which one would you consider, the one that has gone from Lands End to John O'Groats in 29 day with out breaking down or the one that has not had such a challenge! The supplier of the Alber Adventure that I have approached, can only let me have a £1000 discount, which is dived 50-50 between them and the manufactures, still leaving me with an approximate bill for the Alber Adventure, of £7000 because of the extras I need. I have approached an other supplier and await to hear from them to see if they are willing to help with the overall cost of supplying Alber; you will be the first to know the outcome.

The only way I can find £7000 is to try and re-mortgage my home, this is now been looked into.
I am determined to do the E2E in June 08 for Arthritis Care, but without the suitable power wheelchair, namely the Alber Adventure, I cannot do it. My own power wheelchair is a DHSS and my Balder, which because it is so comfortable and I cannot see it been replaced, I cannot use either of them on the E2E challenge.

This is not the end for me because I am a fighter if need be, and this challenge for Arthritis Care, and may I add, for myself, is well worth fighting for.

Watch this space for further developments

Do You Know Any Part of the Route?

19th December 07

Do you know any part of the route?

It has occurred to me, after receiving Jane's email about a better route for the Scottish leg of the challenge, that those of you who are reading this blog in many different areas of the UK, will know a better road, track, that would keep me off the main A & B roads. I would love to hear from you. Just leave a message on this blog or email me, see email address.

I know that there is a cycle net work that I could use, but I do not want to extend the mileage I have to cover if I can help it.

So please do send me any advice you can, no matter what it is, as regards the route I have proposed.

Thanks

Corporate Sponsors Required

19 December 07

Corporate Sponsors Required

If you are reading this as a corporate company, then I really need your help.
Besides raising money for Arthritis Care, I need to raise money to get the team from Lands End to John O’Groats.

So what do we need?
We need petrol for the vehicles, approx for 2 vehicles, £400
We need food to feed the team, say £36 to £40 per day.
We need to hire camping gear, including 3 tents, 6 good camp beds, table and chairs
We need the use of a van suitable to hold me.

If you can help to provide any of the above, I shall do all that I can to promote the company.

Please email Vincent Moran vincentm@arthritiscare.org.uk for more details

Thank you

Harley the Horse

17th December 07

Harley the horse and Jane the human

This is a small part of the email I recieved from Jane. Please do visit her web site as it makes a beautiful read.

I was delighted to read of the challenge you have set yourself - you may or may not know that I did just over 100 miles with my horse Harley earlier this year to raise funds for Arthritis Care. I managed to raise just over £2,000 and was stunned by the support and coverage I got from friends and strangers. I have OA in my spine and hands/feet which does make riding quite painful, but with the help of pain killers I glory on! I loved doing the trip, it was an extraordinary thing to do and at the end I said I would never do another.....but time passes, and now my feet are itchy again!!

If you go to http://www.dales-fans.org.uk/ there is a short piece about our trek - click on 'articles' and we are 'clever Dales'.

Me again, Mary
Can I just tell you Jane and others reading this blog, I control my RA pain by diet, I have no pain at all and I do not take pain killers.

Jane, the foods that hurt my feet are peas beans and and mushrooms and pain in my hands is caused mainly by wholemeal bread. Try taking these foods out of your diet and see how you feel. My book, which is now out of print, Diet for Life can be obtained from the internet.

Route

17th December 07

The Route.

After the offer from Jane to join me on her horse Harley, I started to think that just maybe some of you would also like to join me along the route on transport that is not a bike. This could be pushing a bed, running, roller skating, vintage motor bike/car, in fact anything that will bring to the public and media the work of Arthritis Care and help with fund raising. Just email me with your offer and I will see how we can include you in the planning. The route can be change to accommodate you, distance and speed of Albert can be adjusted as in the case of Jane and Harley.

If any of you have comments about the route and suggestions of changing it, please again, just email me.

The Route
Day 1 Lands End to St Just 05.0
Day 1 St Just to Perranporth 35.5
Day2 Perranporth to Tintagel 37.3
Day 3 Tintagel to Bideford 42.7
Day 4 Bideford to Minehead 45.8
Day 5 Minehead to Cheddar 44.3
Day 6 Cheddar to Bristol 18.7
Day 7 Bristol to Cheltenham 43.8
Day 8 Cheltenham to Kidderminster 39.4
Day 9 Kidderminster to Shrewsbury 34.6
Day 10 Shrewsbury to Chester 41.6
Day 11 Chester to Preston 47.9
Day 12 Preston to Blackpool Day Off 61st Birthday
Day 13Preston to Kendal 44.8
Day 14 Kendal to Carlisle 45.1
Day 15 Carlisle to Dumfries 34.1
Day 16 Dumfries to Cumnock 43.3
Day 17 Cumnock to Ayr 16.1 1/2 day break
Day 18 Ayr to Glasgow 36.1
Day 19 All day in Glasgow 00.0 Day Off
Day 20 Glasgow to Doune 37.1
Day 21 Doune to Killin 28.8
Day 22 Killin to Pitlochry 37.1
Day 23 Pitlochry to Newtonmore 40.9
Day 24 Newtonmore to Culloden 46.4
Day 25 Culloden to Dornoch 45.4
Day 26 Dornoch to Berriedale 37.8
Day 27 Berriedale to John O’Groats 42.2

I wish to arrive at John O'Groats on Sunday 29th June so we have 2 spare days.

Love to you all

Mary

DonationRecieved

13th November 07

Donation received.

I would just like to thank Jane Thomson (Harleydales) for her donation of £20 + £5.64 tax donation that she gave via the ' just giving page' It did not take her very long and is one more step towards the very high target of £17000 I have set myself. Thanks Jane

I set such a high target because I personal feel that this challenge is worth every penny of the effort you are all putting in to help me make it happen.

Jane has also offered to join me on her horse, and when I can get on the AC forum, i shall be getting in touch with her so we can make sure that this wonderful, and may i add, headline story, "Horese Rider & Power Chair Rider take on the miles of the E2E Challenge" or something like that..that it will help AC with its fundraisin, which after all, that is what this challenge is about, helping AC, to help people who live with Arthritis, and the more we can keep our charity in the public eye, the morehelp we are giving AC's to fund raise, the more AC can kelp us.

Now where is lunch!

Number of People Visiting the Blog

14th December 08

People visiting blog

You might be intereasted in the number of people who visit this blog See below.
I do no that the activity and interest in the blog is incressing. We still need more visits. Please get the word out about the challenge and fundraising.

Visits
Total ........................... 78
Average per Day ................. 10
Average Visit Length .......... 3:05

This Week ....................... 70

Page Views Total .......................... 166

Average per Day ................. 20

Average per Visit .............. 2.0

This Week ...................... 142

Email from Tokyo

14th December 07

Email from Tokyo

Friends. the bog is travelling, here is an example of an email I recieved from Tokyo. Enjoy the read.

Mary

Hello Mary ,

I got the A. Adventure chair today . As you can see , my apartment entrance is small BUT A.A. can enter and fit just about right . went around my neighborhood for a spin and so far no problem , even when crossing the rail road crossings that are abundant here in Tokyo and all over Japan . These rail crossings have claimed quite a few disabled and aged people that get stuck between the tracks and unfortunately can not get help in time ... I reckon 20 to 35 deaths per year related to these crossings .

The wheelchair cartel here has been trying hard NOT to disclose the real number of deaths , but many nurses and helpers have lately either called or e-mailed me these past months after my solo demonstration in front of the Ministry of Public Works and the Health Ministry too. Tokyo TV was there and one thing ed to the other .

I also have been " inviting " Tokyo's Mayor for a spin on a wheelchair , since he claims that Tokyo is barrier free and that we should shut our traps . Literally . Lets build a couple of casinos and apply for the Olympic Games rights instead .

I have great hopes in this chair because I seem to be able to carry my camera bag and other stuff without much power loss . What do you think about it ?

You were also vERy right in saying that the command console NEEDS to have LED lights installed on all bottoms . I can's see a thing as it is now . I will try to wake Alber's German counter part and DEMAND that improvement . It is necessary and crucial for the rider to know where to click instead of stopping and do it all again .

Please let me know any new stuff you might have found along the way . Me too , if it's alright with you of course , keep on reporting on the A.A.'s performance here in Tokyo . Might even restart my long dormant blog " tokyounclassifieds.com " .

Please take care and keep as healthy as you can . I noticed that unlike my Alber E-motion , it can get mighty cold ridding that babe cos of no muscle movement is necessary . I have got Hansen and Helly survival outfit that will go perfectly with the A.A. . Best regards and hope to hear from you now and then .

F.Antonio Ferreira in Tokyo .

Help I Am Looking For

12th December 08
Dear Friends

Most of you know that I am going to attempt a challenge of a life time, well this life time, drive an Alber Adventure Power Wheelchair from Lands End to John O'Groats between the 1st/29th June 2008 and I am doing it for Arthritis Care.
Can you please put the word out via your email, notice boards ect about the challenge and also that I am looking for the following support. I am also looking for sponsorship, all details below.
Thanks
Mary

I am looking for. This is per day, but I am hoping people will be staying much longer than a day.

2 Cyclist. The cyclist will stay with me for safety reasons and act as runners between the following vehicle and the team. They will also be asked to give me a sweet or other small task i.e., switch on or off my radio. They need not necessary be asked to help with personal care unless they have agreed to.

2 Lady Personal Assistances. These ladies will be responsible for dealing with all my personal care including through the night. At home, I can wake for help up to 3 times, very rarely more for a wee or drink. They will take it in turn to do night and day shift. They will need to work together to give me a shower and dress me. I have to some how work out how I can get my morning suppository to help me go to the loo. Someone with nursing experience, but not essential, would be just great.

2 Divers. I see us having two vehicles so we need 2 drivers.
One vehicle following me and the bike riders, proberly in a car or small van, this car will have my carer in who will look after me that day. one driver with vehicle, going onto the next stop and set up camp.

1 Housekeeper. This post I have been giving thought to. Would it be a good idea to have someone each day, possible the same person for the whole week, who would take on the responsibility of looking after the team? By this I mean, making sure that all meals are shopped for and cooked. That any personal washing is done. That sort of thing.

A combination of all tasks, 1 person to do say the driving and being my carer.

I feel we could get away with just one vehicle and driver but I do need 2 carers. I maybe able to bring carers from here. Pauline wants to be one of my carers for the last leg

Vehicles we need one preferable two. A car, see above, and a van. The van will be the vehicle that will be used to transport me with all the gear and will go on up ahead and set up the next camp or other accommodation for the nights stop. I am trying to raise the cash to buy such a vehicle myself, but I am also looking for these vehicles to be sponsored by a company. If anyone can provide their own car and drive it, that would be just great.

Best wishes

Mary Laver
End 2 End
www.justgiving.com/powerwheelchairchallenge
http://www.powerwheelchaire2e.blogspot.com/

Arthritis Care is the UK's largest voluntary organization working with and for people with arthritis, empowering them to take control of their arthritis and their lives. For information about our full range of services visit www.arthritiscare.org.ukRegistered charity no. 206563. Registered in England No. 529321. A company limited by guarantee.

My Personal Email Address

8th December 07

My Personal Email Address.

I have just set up personal Google email address. Please feel free to use it.

mary.laver.e2e@googlemail.com

Please visit "Thanks for Visiting This Blog"

6th December 07

Can you please visit

On the side bar there is a small survay of 4 questions that if you have time, it would be great for me, if you could answer them

I get great enjoyment in writing this blog because I wish to share with you how the challenge is taking place, but is this what you want from my blog?

By answering the 4 questions I will get feedback on what you think.

Today I have manage to add a meter. Why Blog does not include them I do not know. I hope that you will this of some interest.