Alistair Haimes is fundraising for SPARKS

Alistair Haimes's Fundraising Page

Flora London Marathon 2009

on 26/04/2009

Arthur and Maddy

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Raising money for

SPARKS

Charity Registration No. 1003825 (England & Wales), SCO39482 (Scotland)

Sparks is a unique children's charity dedicated to funding research into the prevention, treatment and cure for conditions and illnesses affecting children, babies and expectant mothers. Sparks aim is for ALL babies to be born healthy and stay healthy. Since 1991, Sparks has committed over £18 million to fund research into conditions such as childhood cancer, childhood arthritis, meningitis, club foot, cerebral palsy, spina bifida and all the risks associated with premature birth. www.sparks.org.uk

Page owner

Alistair Haimes

RSS

Raised: 134%

Target: £4,000.00
Raised so far: £5,356.00

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My story

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

I am running the 2009 London Marathon to raise money for Sparks, a UK charity that funds a broad range of paediatric research to help ALL babies to be born healthy and to stay healthy. There really couldn't be a better cause. If you would like to see more about the research that Sparks funds, please click on the link to the left which should hopefully take you to their web-page.

Our twins Arthur and Maddy were born seven weeks early in April 2007, but were very well looked after in hospital for almost a month before being allowed home. Unfortunately, we were back for another stay in hospital shortly afterwards when Arthur contracted meningitis. He was extremely ill for a while, and that is an understatement.

Those of you with children will understand the almost incredible amount of distress and worry this caused for ourselves and our families; those of you without children can, thank goodness, really only guess. It was a fraught time, and we were incredibly grateful for everybody’s support, which made all the difference in the world. Two eventful years on, Arthur and Maddy are happy, healthy and thriving. In fact, they are a real handful, as many of you reading this will know, and their good health is in large part because of the extraordinary medical care they received throughout their time in hospital; I have to say that it made me proud to see the level of care the NHS provides.

I am now asking for your support once again. I would be very grateful for any donation you could make, however small; every pound really does count.

Let me assure you, I am in no way “in shape” for a marathon, and am expecting several hours of extreme discomfort at best. As an incentive for generosity, larger sponsors among you would be able to see special photos of me in (presumably) utter, utter agony as I cross (hopefully) the finish line. But it will be worth it to raise money for such a tremendous cause.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: SPARKS gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation. So basically you get a good bang for your buck.

So please, please sponsor me now!

Many thanks and God bless,

	Very belatedly, but well done for an amazing time! Lots of love from us all xxxx Donation by Em and James Persse 13/05/09	£10.00
	Well done! Donation by Steph Gretton 30/04/09	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
	I have every confidence you will do well. Interesting to see what good work is being done by Sparks. Donation by Tim Walker 25/04/09	£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid
	Good luck! Donation by Mark Dayer 24/04/09	£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid
	Having seen you in training...no problems! Have a great day and it's lovely to see Arthur and Maddy growing up so happy and healthy Donation by Caro, Josie and Peter Coombes 24/04/09	£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid
	Best of luck Donation by Chris Shields 17/04/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Let's hope you make it round x Donation by Jozza & Daniel 01/04/09	£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid
	I'd never have thought you'd be so daft as to run a Marathon, even for such a good cause... Donation by Will Everitt 13/03/09	£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid
	Go Al!!! We'll be looking out for you on telly!!! Sorry taken so long to get round to doing this!!! Donation by Helen and Nick Templeton 28/02/09	£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid
	Good luck Al! Donation by Alison 02/02/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Bon Chance Donation by Mark Craig 21/01/09	£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid
	Donation by Scotsgrove Holdings Ltd. 20/01/09	£2,500.00
	Good luck. I do hope you will be running in a chicken suit or similar. I look forward to seeing you wrapped in Bacofoil at the end. Donation by Dan and Sarah Margolin 19/01/09	£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid
	Good luck Al! Donation by Duncan & Rachael 19/01/09	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
	Hopefully the high altitude runs in Colorado will come into use. Best of luck Al. Donation by Q and Susie 19/01/09	£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid
	What a well deserved cause. Best of luck! Donation by Dan and Pip Martin 19/01/09	£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
	Best of luck. You can tell me what it's like breaking the pain barrier so I can be prepared! Donation by Rob Tudor 19/01/09	£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid
	Good luck Alistair! Let's see who makes it past the finish line first! Donation by Zoe Sharpe 19/01/09	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Best of luck! Is it a decade between attempts? Donation by Claire Swinden 19/01/09	£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
	Run Forrest Run Donation by Lesley and Jamie Ford 02/01/09	£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
	Good luck with training and all the best to the family. Donation by Annie & David 26/12/08	£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid
	hey al, the thing about getting up for training in the morning is once you're up you're up Donation by Tom Ball 15/12/08	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid
	Good market to find some time for training! All the very best. Donation by Neil Atkinson 01/12/08	£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid
	Excellent choice of charity Al. What a star you are! Good luck & God Bless xxx Donation by Paul & Donna 24/11/08	£250.00 + £70.51 Gift Aid
	Can we come and watch ? Donation by Bobby Duffy 21/11/08	£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid
	Surely there are easier ways to get time away from dirty nappies? Or are you going to carry the children with you? Good luck. Donation by Dominic 20/11/08	£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid
	I thought a marathon was a snicker. Don't use vaseline, use goosefat or lard and have fun afterwards too. Donation by Dan Little 13/11/08	£26.00 + £7.33 Gift Aid
	Great cause, good luck with the training Donation by Helen Beck 11/11/08	£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid
	Bon chance. Donation by William Simmonds 10/11/08	£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid
	Dear Arthur and Maddy, What a great Dad you have. Hopefully luck will have nothing to do with it! Paul, Fiona, Toby, Emily. Donation by Tremelling Family 08/11/08	£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

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* Total raised online:	£5,141.00
Offline donations:	£215.00
Gift Aid plus supplement:	£650.41

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