Tag: Lmaxexchangeeverestrugbychallenge

Not a bad day at the office……

What happens when you say you are aiming to raise £20,000 for charity?

  • Well, after a few comments of “that’s a lot of money ” “that is loads” . “How are you going to raise that?” ……the energy changes, the room becomes charged with positive intentions.  The awareness of what that amount of money will do to help the lives of disabled and disadvantaged children kicks in. 

    • The room went quiet for a moment, then there were discussions of “you are crazy” when the event we are taking part in to raise this amount is explained.

    The LMAX Exchange Everest Rugby Challenge is a big deal, it is a world record attempt – and when it is successful I will be one of only 5 females to have played rugby at that height.  All the challengers are really up for this, some are current rugby players, some have played in the past, some just like watching it, others like trekking and travel and some simply want to be involved with the charity. The excitement is building as the time approaches – not long to go now, not many weekends and not much time to raise money!

    So what happens??…. after the realisation of the enormity of the task – my friends and colleagues say “we’ll help you” On this particular day one said “we should do a therapist day”. 

    Wow, the kindness of those I come into contact with just came oozing out.  Liz Meyer “picked up the ball and ran with it”.  Due to her tenacity and committment a “Time to be Tranquil” day was organised.  The date was set, the venue was found and the therapists agreed.

    24th February was the day, Hindon Village Hall the venue and four therapists booked that day in the diary. Others said they would serve teas and cake and recruited an army of bakers to bake a selection of delicious homemade cakes.

    Someone volunteered to be around to welcome people in and take the money.

    It was set, it was organised and people booked in!

    It was a super day – 37 treatments were given, teas were drunk and cakes were eaten and also bought to take home. There was 3 couches and one massage chair. Treatments on offer were hand, feet, face massage, seated back massage, aromatherapy face massage, Indian head massage, Reiki treatments or combinations. Sessions were charged st £20 for 20 minute sessions. Some bought two sessions back to back to enjoy the time for longer!!

    The atmosphere in the hall soon settled into a quiet and nurturing space, people came for their booked session and didn’t want to leave. Tea and cakes alone made £185 for Wooden Spoon.

    Do you know what that would buy? – four beanbags in a teenager only area of a children’s hospice to enable them to enjoy time with people their own age and be independent.

    The total of the day was £950 – that means we could fund – two sound and touch responsive colour globes which could enable children with cognitive disability to communicate for the first time.

    With your help we are on our way to achieving amazing things. Our total stands at £8000! Phenomenal!

    £10,000 could fund a specialist sensory room using light, touch and sound to stimulate the senses of children and young people with a range of disabilities.

    Please keep donating and share this blog to whoever you know has a kind heart and will join us in this huge task!

    Thank you!

    www.virginmoneygiving.com/johncurtis15

    Look out for my events page which gives details of evenings we are organizing to raise even more more whilst having fun!!

    Thank you

    Pilates for Charity

    Thank you to all those who came along to my first Pilates class at Fovant.

    What a wonderful turnout and a great start to the pot of money being raised by this event for Wooden Spoon. I look forward to seeing you next week and supporting you on your Pilates journey.

    Classes take place on Mondays at 11.15 am at Fovant Village Hall

    I love taking classes and seeing people embrace concepts they had not really thought about before. For some the technique of Pilates is totally new. I aim to teach in a non-competitive way and trying to convey the importance of being aware what you are actually doing

    Being mindful in what we do in all things brings a clearness and clarity into our lives. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed with all the “stuff” we load on ourselves to do and sometimes feel pressured to achieve more and more.

    However, when we slow down and take our time – we actually start to see the time – by that I mean, – do you ever get to the end of a day or a week and wonder “where did that go?” Even sometimes finding it difficult to recall what you did? Well, if we give ourselves a chance to see and feel the time we begin to notice things with calmness and clarity.

    That’s what I know I’ll find on my trek to Advanced Base Camp on Mount Everest. Just walking. Just being where I am at that moment. Perhaps you read my blog of my Camino de Santiago nearly two years ago, where I tried to put across that not only every day mattered but every moment, every step. Once that step is taken it’s gone and we are on to the next. Yet we’ve needed the previous step to get us where we are. But we can’t stay stuck at that step because we would not move forward. Our life’s journey is just that – one step at a time.

    And that’s what I’ll be doing on Everest – one step at a time. Until we reach the plateau where our rugby matches will take place. I don’t know how I’ll feel, I don’t know whether I will achieve the world record – but what I do know is that I will treasure each step that takes me towards it.

    Just as I appreciate every pound that you donate. The Wooden Spoon charity brings joy into the lives of children who otherwise would not have the opportunity to move forward.

    Thank you for supporting me and all the challengers who are giving their time to raise £200,000 for disabled and disadvantaged children throughout the UK and Ireland.

    Please donate – large or small amounts – to

    http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/JohnCurtis15

    Or Text

    EverestViv10 to 70085 to donate £10

    ( or 20 for £20, 5 for £5)

    More events to help me raise money are coming up too – email me if you would like to be involved or know more:

    Everestrugbychallenge@gmail.com

    Thank you from me

    Thank you from John

    But most of all Thankyou from the children and young people who will benefit from your donation

    Winter Mountain Skills

    A scheduled training weekend in Scotland saw John and I pondering over flights, roads and rail to find the best route up there. There wasn’t really a best route, as with most things in life – there is always more than one way, and what is best for one doesn’t necessarily fit someone else.

    We were to go just South of Fort William to a place called Onich. The Hotel Onich was used by Adventure Peaks to run their mountaineering courses from. An ideal location for Ben Nevis area and Glen Coe.

    So John and I drove to Bristol airport, flew to Glasgow, got a bus to Queen street station and took a train to Fort William where we hopped in Jamie’s taxi who took us straight to the hotel (and picked us up again on Monday morning with the promise of donating on our virgin money giving page!He was so kind) .

    The train journey was incredible, as well as the train being very comfortable (and we met Tim, a gentle chatty stranger who worked at the Youth Hostel in Fort William who donated via our page – thank you!) with plenty of seats and tables, the scenery it went through was stunning. Pretty much following the West Highland Way we went through areas of “not to be reached by road”. Very special.

    We hired crampons and Ice axes and were set to learn how to use these sharp implements. I’d been a rock climber years ago but had never ventured into Ice climbing nor any winter walking that needed crampons. I was apprenhensive, mainly wondering whether I would be strong enough, but silently looking forward to it.

    Armed with all our kit and walking in hired boots we set off to the Ben Nevis area. But where was the snow? Where was the ice? Well there certainly wasn’t going to be much with the temperature about 8 degrees…. and there wasn’t, but there was plenty of rain. Always expect what you least expect or want!

    Our personal sponsors Paultons Park and AJN Steelstock

    But that was just Saturday…

    the snow came overnight and this was Sunday….

    Still no crampons and Ice axe practice – but a beautiful walk all the same. Thank you to the 4 wonderful guides that got us to the top of a Munroe and back again.

    THE Podcast!!

    Motcombe Pilates Mats To Mount Everest – Viv’s Charity Record Attempt

    Listen and read at ThisisAlfred.com

    http://thisisalfred.com/community/motcombe-pilates-mats-to-mount-everest-vivs-charity-record-attempt/

    Unfortunately I’m not really as “with it” as I thought! I cannot get the above link to work by clicking on it – you may have to cut and paste into your browser, alternatively I can send you the link via email or Whats App

    Thank you for the donations already received – what generosity!

    We still have a long way to go however – ALL donations go to the charity Wooden Spoon.

    Please donate at http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/JohnCURTIS15

    Thank You!!

    In front of the microphone…

    ….or was the microphone in front of me?

    How do people do that? Talk and look so relaxed when they have a microphone held in front of their face? It must be a skill that you learn.

    Yesterday I sat with Keri from “This is Alfred” for my first podcast about the LMAX Exchange Rugby Challenge.Its a new, weekly podcast all about the people who are making a difference to life in Shaftesbury,The Vale and Chase. It’s a ‘radio’ programme full of interviews and information. I was very comfortable sat chatting with Keri in the first instance, explaining the challenge to him, why I was taking part and the involvement with Wooden Spoon, the children’s charity for rugby. That felt good, highlighting the projects that Wooden Spoon have funded and the new projects in the pipeline. Talking about the international rugby players who are giving up their time to commit to this World Record attempt too. I felt comfortable, excited and wanting to give and share. So what happened when that big black blob was held just inches from my face? Why did that make me feel nervous, anxious and less confident? Keri just talked like he did before, maybe with a more question bias but he was still talking about the same topic?

    Fear is an interesting emotion – I can’t say I was in any danger obviously, so why suddenly did I feel “threatened”, why did I feel more uncomfortable so that my answers didn’t flow so well. I was answering the questions now rather than responding to them, my heart was racing, my face was flushed and I was stumbling over my words. Maybe it was just another way to get me used to the challenge ahead – after all whilst walking to Advanced Base Camp on Everest I can expect my heart to be racing from the exertion from walking from reduced oxygen and altitude, My face to be flushed from the temperature as it drops as we go higher, flushed from the cold and icy wind, maybe it will be my feet stumbling as the effort increases to accommodate the terrain, perhaps my words will not come out as I expect as my energy levels are used up. But this is what a challenge is about surely?

    Doing something out of your comfort zone? Finding out what you can do when faced with a situation?

    So yes, it wasn’t comfortable for me in front of the microphone but I got through – it finally came to an end. Keri was supportive and encouraging throughout, he was complimentary and positive when we’d finished. It was over and I’d survived. What can I take with me from this experience? All experiences have an element of learning in them, if we stop and listen to what that is then we can assimilate that knowledge for use in future events.

    Despite the anxiety, the nervousness and the physiological responses that accompany that, when fear tries to tell me to “get out of their”, saying “you can’t do this” I will remember – that what I’m feeling will pass. Everything always will pass. I will remember support and encouragement is always there.

    I will let the time on the mountain BE the time in the mountain and notice every moment I can without hiding from …..”me”.

    The World Record attempt awaits….. but now my attention is on fundraising for disabled and disadvantaged children- events, quizzes, talks, raffles. It’s time consuming but I know it will all be worth it- please support me by donating at

    http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/JohnCURTIS15

    ALL of you donation goes straight to Wooden Spoon.

    Thank you

     .                                    Feel the fear and do it anyway.