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My story

 

AVN and Geoff Thomas Foundation


AVN members may have heard ex-England and Crystal Palace footballer Geoff Thomas talk at the AVN spring conference or the National Tax Conference in 2008. Geoff’s battle against leukaemia is a truly inspiring story and AVN’s Mark Wickersham has already cycled in the London to Paris bike race in June to raise funds for Geoff’s charity, the Geoff Thomas Foundation (GTF).

Now, AVN is proud to have forged more permanent links with GTF and made it our adopted charity. Through this link, AVN intends to raise awareness and funds for the GTF.

You can read more about the GTF at their website (www.geoffthomasfoundation.org) but briefly, the GTF was formed when Geoff’s life was saved by a bone marrow transplant after he was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Other patients aren’t so lucky and they need life-saving new drugs. The GTF aims to raise £20 million in 5 years to fund treatment trials at six world-class centres in Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, Nottingham, Birmingham and London.

By 2015 the GTF hopes all blood cancer patients will have access to a potential cure.


How you can get involved


We are in the process of planning a number of activities for AVN members to get involved in to help raise money for the GTF in its fight against leukaemia and other blood related cancers. So keep an eye on the Upcoming Events section to see what’s going on.  

And of course, if you would like to run your own fundraising event for the GTF please let us know here at AVN and we’ll do what we can to help make it a success.

Upcoming Events

11th October 2009 - We are recruiting willing volunteers to join Geoff and the team and run the EDF Birmingham Half Marathon in October.
 
Team GTF are aiming to have the biggest team of runners for this year's event and of course raise valuable funds to help fight blood cancer. The event incorporates the IAAF World Championship and is the biggest athletics event to be held in the UK before the 2012 Olympics - Birmingham will be rocking!!
 
A number of celebrities have already committed to run including ex-Tour de France winner Stephen Roche, former West Bromwich Albion Manager, Ady Boothroyd, and ex pro-cyclist and Paris Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt.
 
 
To sign up just visit www.birminghamhalfmarathon.com and select the 'Geoff Thomas Foundation' as your chosen charity. A fundraising pack and training plans will then be sent out to help you on your way.
 
 
There is no minimum amount you have to raise to be part of the team but if you raise just £150 or over you will be sent a GTF Running Vest and be invited to our pre-event party!

As an added incentive the GTF are offering two Virgin Atlantic Flights to anywhere in the world to the fundraiser who raises the most between now and Christmas Eve. 

 
And of course, if you'd like to run your own fundraising event for the GTF please let us know here at AVN and we’ll do what we can to help make it a success. 

 


Previous events

25th-28th June - London to Paris 2009. Mark once again joined the Geoff Thomas team for this testing bike ride - London to Paris (515km) in 3 days.

August 2008– Salford Nocturne: a superb night of elite cycle racing and entertainment.


June 2008 - Mark Wickersham and Geoff took part in the 2008 London to Paris bike race in June.

This was the fifth edition of the London-Paris Cycle Tour. It is a unique 3 day “Tour de France” style endurance event for amateur riders and is the "professional event for amateurs". Like a pro event it has full support, rolling road closures and covers 600km in three days followed by a rest day in Paris.

Thank You for your support

Congratulations to all those got their medals. Donation by David Logan 11/11/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

From the whole team at AVN Donation by Avn Team 02/11/09  

£223.10 + £62.93 Gift Aid

Well done everyone. Next years fell running should be fun! :-) Donation by Ian Patterson 22/10/09  

£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid

well done PAUL this could be the begining of new sporting career!!!!! Donation by Derek + Joan 20/10/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done Vicky and Ian Patterson Donation by Rita Anderson 19/10/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Well done to the whole team - I felt your pain!!! Donation by From the the family and friends of Tracy Bettley 15/10/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Well done - hope you're not too sore!! Donation by All the team at Tayabali-Tomlin 15/10/09  

£100.00

Well done! Hope you aren't too sore after all your efforts! Donation by Karin Mountain 14/10/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

What a fantastic day and congratulations to everyone who took part. Donation by Stephen Clow 13/10/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done to everyone who took part yesterday! Donation by Kate Wickersham 12/10/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done to the whole team for completing the course and being here the day after even though you are all aching and blistered!! Donation by Laura Newby 12/10/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Well done to the AVN team, I'm proud of you. Well done to Paul F, Paul H, Tracy, Rachel and Ian - you all did fantastic today. Donation by Mark Wickersham 11/10/09  

£150.00 + £42.31 Gift Aid

To Tracy and the team, hope it is all going well, that you got the weather you wanted, and you milk it for all it is worth afterwards. Well done. Donation by Ian Stacey 11/10/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good Luck everyone - even though feels like I'll be cheating on Mac - will totally be cheering you all on!! very proud of the lot of you :) xx Donation by Mrs Herrett!!! 10/10/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Best of luck, hope you have a good day Donation by Leanne Hillock 09/10/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good luck everyone Donation by Shane Lukas 09/10/09  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Good luck all of you. Donation by Elaine Horrey 09/10/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Good luck to all the team at AVN especially Paul and Steve, I'd be there with you but for complete lack of fitness, well done! Donation by James Bland 09/10/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Donation by Alan Cowperthwaite 09/10/09  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Good Luck on Sunday Donation by Andrew Scott 09/10/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Paul - good luck in the Birmingham Half Marathon this weekend. Rather you than me bro! Just remember, take long strides and think like the BFG! Donation by Lucy Herrett 09/10/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

well done Tracy Donation by catharine harris & team 09/10/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Go Tracy Go ... and the rest of you of course! Donation by Guy and all the team at Fallows & Company 08/10/09  

£25.00

I'll be there to support you all, the training will pay off & maybe AVN will come first xxx Donation by CLAIRE 06/10/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good luck on the day ! Donation by Paul Lomas 06/10/09  

£50.00

Well done all of you - keep on running! Donation by Susan Clegg 06/10/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Go Tracy! Take your iPod Mark, put some old 'yes' on it-with each track 20 mins long the time will soon pass!Good luck to everyone. Donation by Peter Shaddick 06/10/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

I hope the legs dont ache too much - well done! Donation by Peter Atkinson 05/10/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Winners never quit, quitters never win. Donation by Gordon Sealey 05/10/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Here's wishing the entire AVN team good luck on Sunday. Can't say I'm jealous - but I am humbled by what you are doing. Donation by Steve Pipe 05/10/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid
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* Total raised online: £8,459.10
  Offline donations: £2,597.00
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