Story
<p><strong>Sat 1st October - 50th BIRTHDAY PARTY BASH WAS BRILLIANT!</strong></p>
<p><strong>Thank you soooooooo much to all my family and friends for making my party one to remember. The Bees Wing at East Cowton did me proud, the food was fantastic, the service and all the effort John, Claire and all the staff put in was totally appreciated by us all. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Seeing all my favourite family and friends in one place was a such a joy, everyone joined in and made me very happy - unfortunately I'm nursing a sweaty snotty cold now and hope I haven't infected anyone, but as you all know I do like to share! so I'll say SORRY now and I'm sure I'l be fit by Friday when Me and Brian fly to Rome to join my birthday cruise.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Total raised on Birthday day is just over £800 and donations still coming in.. ..so I'll say a big thank you and will confirm final total when I get back from Italy. Christine xx</strong></p>
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<p><strong>I can't belive it's the end of August already, where has the time gone? Summer's nearly over and adverts for Christmas will be starting soon!</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First of all I must just say that I'm really disappointed in myself for not </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">walking since the Coast to Coast (C2C), I have no excuses, I'm just guilty of falling back into normal every day life, work, home, teenagers etc., etc., as I had hoped the walk would be a kick start for me to a more active and healthier life style ....... I do walk the dogs a little further and faster around the fields, does that count? Anne on the other hand (who walked with me on the C2C) recently completed a cycle ride from John O'Groats to Lands End <a href="http://ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3397">http://ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3397</a> with her daughter Kate, she's just got so much drive and motivation which of course was what got me to the end our 192 mile walk together and Anne's five years older than me! She's a legend.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">October 1st is the day I'm having my party and I've just sent out my lovely invitations made by my clever cousin Julia <a href="http://www.noblefineart.co.uk/">http://www.noblefineart.co.uk/</a> , inviting family and friends, many who I haven't seen for a number of years, infact an old school friend got back in touch with me as her Mum who still lives in Northallerton, had seen me in our local paper when I was training for the C2C - I can't wait to see Sally as she doesn't sound like she's changed at all - we spent most of our teenage years either sitting on 'the cross' in Northallerton high street talking about music, boys and cars or driving up and down Northallerton high street in her little black Fiat 126 talking about music, boys and cars - those were the days!! </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">I have a little treat in store for my guests at my birthday party, which is being held at my local pub <a href="http://www.thebeeswing.co.uk/">http://www.thebeeswing.co.uk/</a> in East Cowton - I am putting together a quiz to music using a Wurlitzer Juke Box from <a href="http://www.betterdaze.co.uk/">http://www.betterdaze.co.uk/</a> marking my fifty years of achievements and 'non achievements' by the chart number 1's at the time or my guests pre chosen favourite records which holds a memory for them - music is a great memory stirrer.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm still fund raising and have reached just over £3,647.00 and need to keep going to reach £7,200.00 which is the figure I set out to achieve - I am attending Thirsk car boot sale each Sunday during the month of September, with my car boot full of items from my loft - so I'm hoping that will raise a bit more money for the YAA, and I've asked my family and friends for their 'presence and not presents' on my birthday, but if they'd like to help me reach my C2C target, a donation would be appreciated. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">I will also be fund raising at the last two agricultural show's of the season, where we, Brian Robinson Machinery <a href="http://www.brianrobinson.co.uk/">http://www.brianrobinson.co.uk/</a> will be attending Stokesley Show on Saturday 17th September <span style="color: #0e774a;"><a href="http://www.stokesleyshow.co.uk/">www.stokesleyshow.co.uk</a> <span style="color: #000000;"> and the Nidderdale Show on Monday 19th September</span> <a href="http://www.nidderdaleshow.co.uk/">www.nidderdaleshow.co.uk</a> <span style="color: #000000;">with Polaris ATV's and Hudson Trailers,</span> <span style="color: #000000;">at both show's</span> <span style="color: #000000;">we will be raising money towards my C2C fund, so please call onto our stand for a cup of Yorkshire Tea and a chat.</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Arial;">I will keep you informed up until the 6th October, which is my actual birthday and when my fund raising will finish, by then I hope I will have got somewhere near my target of £7,200.00 for my favourite deserving charity, The Yorkshire Air Ambulance <span style="color: #0e774a;"><a href="http://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/">www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk</a> .</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #0e774a;"> </span></span></p>
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<p><strong>WE'VE DONE IT!</strong></p>
<p><strong> ANNE AND I FINISHED THE COAST TO COAST ON FRIDAY 20TH - YIPPEE! </strong><strong>IT WAS TOUGH, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST THREE DAYS, WITH THE BAD WEATHER AND OF COURSE CLIMBING UNFORGIVING LAKE DISTRICT PEAKS LIKE KIDSTY PIKE TO NAME ONE -</strong></p>
<p><strong>FUND RAISING HAS NOT STOPPED, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE FUND RAISING UNTIL 6TH OCTOBER WHICH IS MY 50TH BIRTHDAY - I WILL BE FUND RAISING AT:</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">THE NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY SHOW</span> ON 19TH JUNE Nr NORTHALLERTON</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW </span>ON 12TH,13TH, 14TH JULY AT HARROGATE</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">THE STOKESLEY SHOW</span> ON 17TH SEPTEMBER AT STOKESLEY</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">THE NIDDERDALE SHOW</span> ON 19TH SEPTEMBER AT PATELY BRIDGE HARROGATE</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">MY BIRTHDAY</span> - 6TH OCTOBER</strong></p>
<p><strong>PLEASE LOOK AT MY BLOG</strong> <a href="http://www.c2c4yaa.blogspot.com">www.c2c4yaa.blogspot.com</a><strong> AS FOR SOME REASON MY C2C PHOTO'S WILL NOT LOAD ON MY JUST GIVING PAGES BUT WILL LOAD ON MY BLOG.</strong></p>
<p><strong>I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED AND THANKS AGAIN CHRISTINE XXX</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Welcome to my Just Giving page, telling you my story about why I'm walking the COAST TO COAST for theYORKSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE (<span style="color: #ff0000;">C2C 4 YAA)</span> for my 50th Birthday Treat.</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">SUMMARY:</span></span></strong></p>
<p><strong>~ </strong>Inexperienced walker (me), taking 2 weeks away from work, cooking, cleaning, teenagers and the weekly shop (that's why it's such a treat!) to walk 192 miles in May 2011 with my good friend Anne, who is thankfully an experienced walker. We are walking the Coast to Coast <span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>(C2C)</strong></span> to celebrate my 50th year and to raise £7,200.00 for the<strong> <span style="color: #ff0000;">Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) <span style="color: #000000;">- </span></span></strong>£7,200.00 is how much is needed per day, per helicopter, every day of the year to keep them flying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>~ </strong>I am fund raising for the <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">YAA</span></strong> because the charity is a much needed emergency service within our rural area and is lead by <span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">passionate and professional Trustees, Managers and Administrators who work together as a team to get the best use out of every single penny donated by the generous people of Yorkshire. The YAA have added a news item about my walk onto their website, please take a look <a href="http://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/news/news.php?item=109">http://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/news/news.php?item=109</a></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">~</span></span></strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;"> Please w</span></span><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">ish Anne and I good luck and I'll keep you updated with my daily 'blog' <a href="http://www.c2c4yaa.blogspot.com">www.c2c4yaa.blogspot.com</a> while we train and walk the <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">C2C 4 YAA, </span></strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">giving you</span></span> graffic details of blisters, good walking days and the bad. </span></span><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">Thank you for your interest and support - from Christine, Anne and the </span><strong>Yorkshire Air Ambulance.</strong></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>DETAILED:</strong></span> </span> </strong> <strong> </strong></p>
<p>My 50th birthday is in October this year and I plan to be 'fit and fifty' not 'unfit and fifty' which I am, due to an ever increasing 'middle age spread' which is stopping me from painting my toe nails and breathing at the same time! I'm a fair weather dog walker and I spend most of my working day with my husband and 15 staff, so by the time the evening arrives, a glass of 'red' and the sofa are calling me - so it's time for a change. My plan is to spend the next few months training to get fit for the 8th of May, when I intend to walk 192 miles on the Coast to Coast Walk (<span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>C2C</strong></span>) raising £7,200.00 for my favourite charity the<span style="color: #ff0000;"> <strong>Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong> </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">I'll be training and walking</span></span> with my friend Anne who has recently retired and is thankfully an experienced walker. I met Anne through my 17 year old son George in 2009 when she was the medical support for the Himalayan Expedition with Northallerton College (<span style="color: #0000ff;">see photo's)</span> at least Anne won't need to watch out for altitude sickness on the <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">C2C</span></strong>!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My chosen charity is the <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">Yorkshire Air Ambul</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">anc</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">e (YAA</span><span style="color: #ff0000;">)</span></strong> who need £7,200.00 per day, per helicopter, every day of the year to keep both <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">YAA</span></strong> helicopters flying - We support the <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">YAA</span></strong> not just because our customers are all farmers, or because I'm a retired nurse understanding the importance of being rescued within the 'golden hour', but because I'm a <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">YAA</span></strong> volunteer who wants to give additional support to the<span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;"> passionate and professional Trustees, Managers, Administrators and of course the Paramedics and Dispatchers <span style="color: #333399;">(see photo's),</span> as t</span></span>hey all work together to make the best use out of every single penny that's donated to the charity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One of my duties as a <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">YAA</span></strong> volunteer is to meet fund raisers and receive cheques on behalf of the charity. One of my regular fund raisers is an amazing lady called Gladys from Bedale and with her friend Mary they have knitted teddies and blankets from donated wool, raising over £3,000.00 in 18 months so far (<span style="color: #0000ff;">see photo</span>) - this is just one of the many ways of fund raising for<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"> YAA.</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"> </span></strong></p>
<p>Thank you for the taking the time to read my story, your support and encouragement will be greatly appreciated when the walking get's tough on our <span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>C2C 4 YAA</strong></span> , and we know it will get tough - so please wish Anne and I good luck on our walk - I will keep you updated by my daily 'blog', while training and walking the <span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>C2C 4 YAA</strong></span>, with graffic details of blisters, the good walking days and the bad, please follow us on our 'blog' <a href="http://www.c2c4yaa.blogspot.com">www.c2c4yaa.blogspot.com</a> So let's see if we can raise £7,200.00 throughout my 50th year, to <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">'keep it up'</span></strong> (the helicopter) for a day and save a life in Yorkshire. Please dig deep - Thank you for your support - from Christine, Anne and the <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">Yorkshire Air Ambulance</span>.</strong></p>