Bucks 260 Headstrong Challenge
A Sarratt sports enthusiast and two colleagues are taking on a multi sports challenge with a difference to raise funds for a friend who has suffered a brain injury. James Cavalier, Gary King and Simon Webb, will be kayaking, running and cycling as well as participating in a few inspired sporting activities in a four day mission to raise money for the Jack Warner Rehabilitation Trust.
Last October, Jack collapsed at the gym and doctors diagnosed a life threatening brain injury needing emergency surgery. He remained in a coma, on full life support and with 24hr care but has made slow but steady progress. He is now having rehabilitation treatment at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability (RHN) but further recovery is threatened by a lack of funding.
“We need to raise as much as we can. Jack, or Ant as we know him, is just an incredible person and well known in Sarratt.” says James, “He used to help with my travel costs when I was a student so that I could play football for Sarratt. Committing to this challenge it is the least I could do”
The Bucks 260 Headstrong Challenge takes place between 31 October and 3 November over 260km of Buckinghamshire roads and rivers.
“Bucks has a massive sporting heritage and we are including as many flagship sites as we can – Longridge Activity Centre, Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Green Park Activity Centre and the Olympic venue, Dorney Lake.”
Extra challenges planned range from taking on Team GB Hockey team in a penalty flicks competition to dragon boating and doing a lap of the athletics track at Stoke Mandeville Stadium (the birthplace of the Paralympic movement) on their new wheelchair basketball wheelchairs.
The trio are also hoping to be joined by Wycombe Wanderers and London WASPS in a crossbar challenge which involves kicking a football from the halfway line onto the crossbar of the goal…whilst trying to avoid muscular cramp in tired legs!
“We will be travelling with Go Pro video cameras” adds James, “A film editor friend has customised our cycle helmets to hold the action cameras securely! And we will have a few surprises along the way..we have asked a few key figures in the sporting world to come and support us – who knows who will turn up!”
Finally, to end the challenge they will complete the Marlow Half Marathon – one of the most difficult in the country.
“We don’t want to go out on a whimper! We would love support at the finish line and welcome anybody who would like to join us in the event!”
Formed in partnership with Bucks County Council, new charitable trust Adventure Learning Foundation (ALF) will make its debut on the 1st of November, and will immediately begin running Longridge (Marlow), Green Park (Aston Clinton), and Shortenills (Chalfont St Giles).
The challenge trio will be visiting our Longridge site on the 31st October where they will do a honoree lap around our island in Kayaks and then paddle up to Bisham abbey. However Longridge have also given then an extra mission, as they make their way up the county Longridge will be giving them a special gift to give to Green Park to mark the launch of the centre becoming an “ALF Village.”
Bucks 260 Headstrong Challenge 31 Oct – 3 Nov, Follow the team and other fundraising events, on Twitter @HeadstrongTrust, on Facebook (search Headstrong). Details on www.jackwarner.org.