30/30/30

Charities

MS Centre 30th Anniversary Special

As part of the Centre’s 30th Anniversary Year of 2015 (you may have seen at least one of our anniversary logos by now and the bunting in the atrium) we are, as we speak, putting together the centre piece of our fundraising year. It’s called 30 / 30 / 30.

Let me explain; it’s an ambitious plan to raise 30 thousand pounds by walking 30 miles over 30 days in September which is our actual anniversary month.

We hope you will agree that the plan is encapsulated in the anniversary logo shown above.

It sounds simple but the logistics are a little daunting. For example we have chosen 30 single miles in our region, see the list here as you see each day of the month of September has been allocated a town in which the mile will be walked. The principal walkers will be myself (I have MS) and I will be pushing Sarah McCready (who also has MS) in her electric wheelchair. I’d push her in an ordinary wheelchair if her physiotherapist would let me! BUT, and here’s the rub and the opportunity, we want as many people as possible to join us on as many days asthey like in September, whether or not they have MS. This is a fundraiser so we want to raise funds. £30k is the target.

In order to achieve our goal for people with MS, we will need a lot of help. Here is the sort of things we are looking for:

  • Local sponsors. It would be excellent to get sponsorship for each mile in each location. It would also be fantastic to find some overall sponsorship for the full 30 miles!
  • Local people with or without MS who would like to walk the MS mile with us. We would anticipate that individual walkers would get themselves sponsored to raise funds. (No minimum).
  • Our Community Fundraiser Sharon Deacon will be talking to local schools to get their “buy in” in that the children will ‘walk the MS mile’ for us around their schools and again parental and other sponsorship will be the target.
  • Our PR Manager Catherine Golds (who is a volunteer and also has MS) will be spreading the media word on our behalf and involving local radio, print media and hopefully local TV. We will also have marketing information, which we would like to get sponsorship for to offset any expenditure.
  • We will be looking for local volunteers for each day to carry collection tins, perhaps do a bit of marshalling and generally ‘fly the flag’.
  • We also have some sponsorship….high-viz jackets & tee-shirts from Grant & Stone (regional kitchen/bathroom suppliers), but we need much more.

So, that’s where we are so far but with a long way to go and much to do. With all of that in mind here is my request and thank you very much for your interest and considerations:

  • If anyone could look at the day for their area (click here ) and has any local connections with businesses and would ask for sponsorship, or potential walkers who would be prepared to get sponsorship, please do let us know. Click here for a Sponsorship Form or visit our page on Make-a-Donationor JustGiving.
  • If anyone would like to volunteer for a day / days to ensure collection tins are carried and that if required a banner is located in an appropriate position before the day….or you might have a connection with your local school…..please get in touch with us.

If you feel you can help in any way please call or email; fundraising@chilternsmcentre.orgorsharondeacon@chilternsmecentre.org oron 01296 696133.

And thank you again, anything you can help with will be greatly appreciated…..got to go, the treadmill training awaits!

Kind regards

Linda Oatley

Vice Chair of Trustees

Chilterns MS Centre