Rotaract Mountain Challenge

We did it!

2006-08-06T23:18:00.000+01:00

Ok...
So, we did a bunch of other stuff before hand, getting ready and raising money - you can read about some of these back a the main events page.

But most importantly of all... Sight Savers International is now £5048 better off.

Have a read of our fun on the actual challenge, and do enjoy the pictures.

Phew.

Rotary Bowling

2006-05-22T23:28:00.000+01:00

The idea behind this event was simple. There's a surprising number of Rotary clubs in the area, and Deben Rotaract have met up with several of them on various occasions. Unfortunately, these occasions are either presentations at their club meetings, or semi-formal charter nights. So we thought it'd be a great idea to get some people from as many of the clubs together for a bit of a social evening. A chance to swap ideas, meet new friends, and while we're about it, let's have a raffle and raise a bit of cash for the Sight Savers Mountain Challenge fund.

As a very subtle way of introducing the subject of Sight Savers, we brought a bunch of blindfolds (well, pillow cases) along, and on the 5th ball made everyone bowl blind. We at Deben Rotaract pride ourselves on our subtleness.

About 15 Rotarians, from three different clubs came along. And we raised around £60 from the evening. Not bad seeing as we'd said that fundraising wasn't the main aim of the evening.

The winner was Martin Westlake from the Ipswich East club. His score (294 over two games) probably helped his club to win the highest scoring club award. Thanks to all those who came, from the Ipswich East, Woodbridge and Felixstowe Languard clubs.

Walking in the Lakes

2006-04-23T19:09:00.000+01:00

With four of the team at the RGBI conference in the Lake District, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss for the others to drive on over and for the whole team to spend a few days training on the mountains. All the walkers made it - Alan, Alastair, Andrew, Claire, Mark (reserve walker), Michelle and Pete (driver Ian got in some practice driving at home) and we got over several mountains, including Gridesdale Pike and Helvellyn.

After three days of walking up, down and around mountains, everyone felt a little happier that they'd managed to try out most of the kit, had been on the route planned for Helvellyn - handy, as it's the one we'll be doing in the dark in a couple of months.

If nothing else it proved that some of us weren't as completely unfit as we'd thought.

Check out the pictures and writeup (coming soon).

The RGBI Conference

2006-04-22T17:19:00.000+01:00

(A few backdated blog entries... - sorry for the delay)

The annual Rotaract conference is always a lot of fun, with many and varied things going on. There's also a few presentations, which are usually quite good in their own right. This year, Deben Rotaract was presenting. Claire and Michelle gave a short talk about the Rotary Mountain Challenge and the Rotaract entry. This must have gone down quite well as we collected about £100 afterwards. Thanks to all those who were there.

Several people from various clubs came up afterwards and said they'd do what they could to raise some money for the project. Excellent news. A couple were also interested in 'Deben on Tour' - where we go along, run an event for their club, and they donate some cash. Stay tuned for more on this. Keith and Claire Mercer from Rushden Rotaract suggested a modification to the Tour plan, where we run a joint event for other Rotary and Rotaract clubs. Stay tuned for this too…

The conference was an excellent weekend, up in the Lake District. See the various pictures, and read the Deben writeup.

Up in the Lake District… well, while there, wouldn't it be a good idea to spend a few days walking...

The week ahead

2006-04-13T23:16:00.000+01:00

We have an exciting week ahead of us...
But first - some updates.

The lead from Ipswich Orwell Rotary club regarding a minibus has paid off. We now have a minibus reserved for us. Cheers to those involved.

The Speed Dating event is now set for the 23rd May. If you can get to Felixstowe (Suffolk) and are interested - please get in touch as we need to sort out even numbers of guys and gals beforehand.

The Charity Auction is still being finalised. We're short of good auction lots though, so should you have anything cool, or can offer a service... let us know.

OK - that's enough begging. So what's happening this week?

The RGBI Rotaract Conference, that's what. Our Easter weekend will be spent in the Lake District at the conference. Speakers, fancy dress, treasure hunts.... Oh - the speakers I just mentioned... we'll be up there. Claire and Michelle will be telling everyone all about the Mountain Challenge.

Say, the Lake District? Isn't that where Helvyllen is? One of the mountains we'll be climbing? Why yes it is. Wouldn't it be a great idea to take the week off and go practicing? Of course it would!

Visit back here in a week to find out if we got blown off the mountain, or if we discovered we REALLY are unfit!

- Mark

Up, Up and Away!

2006-03-14T10:22:00.000Z

Another Saturday night in Ipswich. "Let's wander round a few pubs", "let's have a few drinks", "Let's dress up in spandex and collect money for charity", "Sorry Claire, what was that last one?"

And so the great 2006 Deben Rotaract Superhero Fancy Dress Charity Pub Crawl of 2006 began. And we entered out first pub - the Spread Eagle.
Superman, of course, led the way. With fellow superhero legends Supergirl, Spiderman, Batman and Robin following. And Zorro. This last was possibly stretching the superhero theme, but as earlier in the week we were about to borrow a Father Christmas outfit for the evening, we decided to let it pass.

What a great night! Ian (dressed in plain clothes - so as not to scare
anyone) would pop into the pubs to let them know our invasion was about to hit them. We'd already agreed in advance with the landlords that it'd be ok, but it's always worth reminding them before someone in a black mask and cape walks in with a sword and starts asking people for money.

It was great fun watching peoples expressions as we walked up the streets. Seeing them marvel at our costumes (I like to think that's what they were doing), and come up to have photos taken with their favourites (for the record - Superman, Spiderman and Supergirl).
Thanks all to those of you who gave us some cash - it really was appreciated.

Much as we enjoyed it, we've decided that doing it two weeks in a row might be stretching things. It was the first time we'd done charity collection like this, and we were impressed with the results (money raised, fun had, chance to wear spandex in public). Even if it's not for the Sightsavers project, I doubt this will be the final night that we undertake a fancy dress pub crawl.

Over the coarse of the evening, the seven of us collected £350. While that makes a nice dent in our £5000 target, there's obviously a little way to go. It's no crisis though - last weeks project meeting was full of future events shaping up. Stay tuned for details.

See the pics on the gallery

- Mark

A good week

2006-02-26T21:03:00.000Z

Last week three of the team went for a practice practice walk (yes, you read that right) up to Suffolks Highest Point. The plan is to do this practice walk for proper in March, and maybe invite others to join us, but Alan thought it a good idea to check the route first. The route is fine, if a little shorter than the real walk in June. The trouble lays partly in the fact that the point is a little shorter than the mountains (About 120ft as appose to 3000+), but mainly in the point itself... The highest point in Suffolk is really, really dull. It's not like you can even see a gradient in the 'slope'. So we might end up walking somewhere slightly more interesting instead.

The walk in March is planned to coincide with World Rotaract Week, and is scheduled for Sunday. We'll be out the night before, touring the pubs in Ipswich too. While this might not seem wholly unusual, we're planning to dress up as superheroes, and collect money for our Sight Savers charity while we're at it. And frankly, if you think that's normal then, well, you must be in Rotaract.

On Monday we went along to Blacks (our first company sponsor, and a much appreciated one). They opened late (we were there for over two hours past closing - sorry) and gave us a lovely discount on all the gear we’d need for the challenge. We’re now fully kitted out, and Michelle and Claire (faced with a discount in a shop that sold clothing) are now looking for a remorgage.

Some excellent news this week. Some of Deben Rotaract took up an invitation from Ipswich Orwell Rotary Club to a most excellent meal and talk at Trongs in Ipswich. Aside from the food (great) Michelle made worthy headway in collecting sponsorship from the Rotarians (cheers guys and gals). But the icing on the cake has to be that we have a lead on a minibus. Hopefully this will pan out, as it’s one of the more important pieces of kit we need to get our hands on.

And finally… we had an answer to our plea for a new team member. So, with luck, Lucy from Chelmsford will be joining us. Team is now back to full strength!

- Mark

Backwards and Forwards

2006-02-15T21:34:00.000Z

Ok. So we had a meeting last week. There's been a few developments... Mostly good... Mostly small.
One bad. One big. Shame it's the same thing...

Michael... The action man adventurer from Leeds... has been offered a job in his home country of New Zealand. For some reason, he felt it was more of an opportunity to head down under for the job of a life-time, than to courageously walk up three mountains in England, Scotland and Wales. Ah well.

So, we're currently looking for another Rotaractor to join us. Interested? Get in touch.

OK, so the good news;
We've got our first corporate sponsor. Kindof. Blacks, the outdoor people, have very very kindly offered to open late just for us next week, and give us a 30% discount on any kit we need. OK, so they get something out of it, but so do we, and that's a great way for corporate sponsorship to work. Our main website now has Blacks up as our first sponsor. Cheers guys - there's a bunch of stuff we need to get which none of us were likely to buy if not for the challenge - so it's really appreciated.

We've also got a couple more events planed - more on that later... but if anyone has a Wonder Woman costume we could borrow, please get in touch.

- Mark

A leg up from Rotary

2006-01-31T22:16:00.000Z

The project has obviously got the attention of our sponsoring club. Deben have a good relationship with their Rotary club, but this months business meeting netted us TWO Rotarians in attendance. A five year record.

And even better… they came baring gifts. A cheque to cover expenses on the project. Up to now, we'd been saying 'all money raised goes directly to Sight Savers', and covering any expenditure from our own pockets (fortunately, there's not been much so far). This was a great help, as we can now be a little more confident when it comes to setting up events, paying for petrol etc. We're still hoping to borrow a minibus from somewhere (please get in touch if you're in the Suffolk area and can loan us one for a weekend!), but if we can't, then we don't need to break (into) our bank to hire one. Thanks Deben Rotary.

Also, our personal sponsorship so far seems to be a little over £700. That's 14% of the way there. OK, so a long way to go, and we're approaching the limit of just asking friends and family, but it's a good start to the year.

- Mark

First Training Walk

2006-01-22T21:31:00.000Z

The plan was simple... get as much of the team together to go out on a practice walk - nothing major, perhaps a couple of hours - just to see if there were any lessons to learn ready for the rest of the walks.

It seems there were just a couple...
Only three out of eight made it. Opps. Still, we know to fix that next time. Fortunately, another Rotaractor joined in, so four intrepid adventurers set forth into Rendlesham Forest.

Equipment: Alan brought a map... Unfortunately it didn't cover the whole area. Not a worry, as we weren't that far from home, Alan and Michelle had been on a walk here before, and there was a clearly labeled path. Mark had also brought a GPS system, so no danger of us getting lost.

It only started going slightly wrong when we strayed from the path, realised the map didn't cover where we were, and that the GPS system wasn't turned on so couldn't guide us back to the car.

Marks comments that everything would be fine as we didn't have a video camera so wouldn't be running around the woods at night screaming. Possibly weak logic, but the gang were happy enough wandering around, comparing guesses as to where the car was with other lost wanders. Our friends considered the possibility they might need to jump on the other people they met to steal their supplies with a view of suvival of the fittest... but decided a) this probably wasn't in the Rotaract spirit, and b) they'd only been walking for an hour, so weren't that desperate yet.

They'd even brought water, chocolate and vodka; so there was no suggestion of not being prepared for every contigency.

Given the lack of internet connections in Rendlesham forest, you might summaise our friends made it out. You'd be right. Amazingly, they actually used a compass in the end, so all hope is not lost. When up the various mountains, all they need do is head in the direction of civilisation (Stob Ben, head South. Snowdon, head East. Helvyllen, head down).

Next training walk... February.

- Mark

Meeting One

2006-01-12T22:26:00.000Z

Having worked out that if they use the normal Rotaract business meetings to discuss all the mountain related stuff, those not doing the walk would, sooner or later, kill them; the RMC team decide to meet once a month to plan future progress.

There is debate within the team as to which part will be hardest… Walking three mountains in 24 hours, or raising £5000.

The fact is, this is a Rotary project, and we're a Rotaract team. Rotary clubs tend to have more people and more money. They're used to working with numbers with three zeros, and have the manpower and experience to back up a plan to achieve it. Deben have always been quite proud of the fact that, as a small Rotaract club, they usually raise about a thousand pounds in any given year. And now… they've set a target of £5000 in six months.

Whichever part of the challenge people thought the hardest, everyone agrees this will not be easy.

Plans for fundraising events are at their embryonic phase. It'll be interesting to see which bare fruit. Look out on this blog for news of…

Speed Dating (usefully, this might even net us some Rotaractors!)
Charity Auction
Guess the bears birthday
Rotary bowling (getting the various local Rotary clubs together)
Running raffles at other clubs events
Deben on Tour (taking our events to other clubs for cash)

Incidentally … you can donate online here!

- Mark

The story so far (aka - How it all began)

2006-01-04T18:02:00.000Z

OK, so an email comes round from Lisa, RGBI bosslady, mentioning a Rotary 3-peaks challenge, and perhaps we could put a team in with people from around the UK. The idea is to walk 3 mountains in three countries in 24 hours and raise £5000 for Sight Savers (working with vision around the world).

Claire Tennant, of Deben Rotaract, gets the email, and promptly gets 5 people from her own club, and convinces another friend to join the club in order to do the challenge.
Two others from the UK sign up, but one drops out shortly afterwards. Fortunately Claire grabs another random friend, and Deben gains another member.

So, the roll call…
Claire - Team Leader. Best to say 'no' when she calls before she says anything.
Mark - Deben President. Who really should know better.
Michelle - Deben Vice. Who clearly doesn't know better.
Alan - Deben Juggler in Residence. Intrepid adventurer.
Ian - Cuts a dashing image in his ships captain hat. But how's his land legs?
Alastair - Master of Ti Chi, and part time fireman.
Pete - When he's not playing badminton, he's riding bikes coast to coast.
Michael - Michael is a New Zeeland action man based in Leeds.

Two of these lucky eight will be driving the others around. The others will rise to the challenge; Stob Ben - Scotland - Part of the Ben Nevis range and coming in at 3277ft (999m).
Helvellyn - England - The baby of the bunch, a mere 3118ft (950m).
Snowdon - Wales - Saving the best for last... 3560ft (1085m).

Oh, and in June, they'll be walking them all in 24 hours. And that's not even the tough part of the challenge. The aim is to raise £5000 for Sight Savers - restoring sight, preventing blindness, and helping those whose sight they can't restore to become valued members of their community. You can read all the details of the project at the main Rotaract Mountain Challenge website.

The team came together towards the end of 2005. This blog will chart their progress.

- Mark