<div><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>This autumn I will be participating in 3 testing endurance events in the space of 3 weeks to raise funds for 2 charities.</strong></span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>The Charities</strong></span></span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 21.3pt;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.st-christophers.bristol.sch.uk/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>St Christopher&rsquo;s School, Bristol</strong></span></a><span><strong> </strong>is a residential Special School providing care, education and therapy for children and young people between the ages of 5-19. The children and young people have severe and complex learning difficulties which require a high level of staff support. My son Sean, who is autistic, attends the school.</span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 21.3pt;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.coinsfoundation.org/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>The COINS Foundation</strong></span></span></a><span><strong> </strong>has three goals: To build sustainable communities, to include the excluded, to create a better future by engaging the adults of tomorrow. The Foundation funds community development projects in sub-Saharan Africa and around the world and youth education programmes in the UK.</span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>The Challenges</strong></span></span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 21.3pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><strong>My schedule is a little different and perhaps a little more demanding than the average sponsored challenge (especially for a middle-aged curry and beer lover like yours truly.) I hope that the scale of the challenge I have set myself will encourage you to sponsor me. </strong></span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 21.3pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><strong>All of the travel, accommodation and other costs associated with my participation in these events is being met by my employers and by me personally, so 100% of the funds I raise will go to the chosen charities.</strong></span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 21.3pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><strong>17^th-18^th September, 2011, USA: The US 3 Peaks Challenge: </strong>Starting in the Adirondack Park, the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States, teams will summit Whiteface Mountain, NY at 4,867 ft. From there, support crews will transport their hikers to Brattleboro, VT for a brief rest before making the predawn trip to one of the most popular peaks in the world, Mount Monadnock, NH at 3,165 ft. The final leg is a drive to northern Vermont to tackle the state&rsquo;s highest peak, Mount Mansfield at 4,395 ft.</span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 21.3pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><strong>25^th September 2011, Germany: The Berlin Marathon: </strong>Starting and finishing near the Brandenburg Gate, one of Berlin's most famous landmarks, the race attracts a field of more than 40,000 athletes (well, athletes plus me and my mate Steve) who have been flocking to Berlin to run the 26.2-mile course every year since 1974. The course is flat and I am targeting my first sub-4 hour marathon finish.</span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 21.3pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><strong>6-9^th October, England: Coast to Coast cycle:</strong> The classic Great British ride which covers some of </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">N<span style="color: black;">orthern England&rsquo;s most rugged</span> and <span style="color: black;">spectacular scenery.</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>We will cycle<span style="color: black;"> 136 mile</span><span style="color: #1f497d;">s</span><span style="color: black;"> from the </span>w<span style="color: black;">est coast to the </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">e</span><span style="color: black;">ast coast of England</span><span style="color: #1f497d;">. </span></span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><strong>So that&rsquo;s it: 3 weeks, 12,427 ft of mountain hiking, 26.2 miles of running and 136 miles of cycling</strong>. Will you sponsor me? We live in difficult economic times and there are many calls upon us from many worthy causes but any donation, of any amount, will make a difference and be greatly appreciated.</span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Thank you for your support!</strong></span></div> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"></div> </span></span></span> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"></div> </span></div> <div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"></div>