MANY MANY THANKS to you all for supporting us over the 2008 Trailwalker in England. We managed to finish as a team at 4 in the morning in time to see the dawn appearing in the East over the sea. It was somewhat harder than we had expected I have to admit (blisters, a sore knee and a couple of 'walls' to walk through) but at least we broke 20 hours (our initial target - we managed 19 1/2) and, more importantly, raised a load of money for two very worthy causes.

Andrew, Diana, Guy and Yvonne

For those of you who may not have heard of Trailwalker, this is an event which started in Hong Kong over 20 years ago as a training walk (not a “stroll in the park” – there is 14,000 feet of climbing in the Hong Kong trail) for Ghurka soldiers  based in Hong Kong, and which has now become an international fund raiser of material proportions.  Teams of 4 walk 100 kilometres (62 miles) NON STOP (ie No sleep !!) with a view to completing the course as fast as possible – the winners (usually Ghurkas!) will run (yes, run!) much of the course in a time of 10-12 hours.  Many will hope just to complete in any time (the maximum allowed in the UK is 30 hours – 48 in the slightly more arduous Hong Kong).

Having completed the course in Hong Kong three times now (in under 24 hours), I have formed a team to try the UK event which runs over the South Downs from Petersfield to Brighton.  All of us have competed at various times in Hong Kong, completing in under 24 hours – although personally I have yet to finish with the full complement (heat exhaustion and injury being the major factors in Hong Kong with previous team-mates).

This year I am walking in July with Guy Hamilton, HSBC’s CEO of Eastern Europe, who is based in Prague, and a team-mate in my first such event in 2001.  We also have joining us our wives – a first for both Guy and myself.  While some may query this, let me say that both wives (Diana and Yvonne) have completed the Hong Kong course in times faster than Guy and myself respectively, in Yvonne Hamilton’s case in around 16 hours !

We are looking for sponsorship this year and I would ask you to consider whether you personally, or your organisation in a corporate role (sorry, no advertising!) would consider sponsoring our team – named “Roaring Forties-Plus”.  Options for sponsorship include the following:-

• distance covered (there is no guarantee those who start will actually finish);
• a flat rate just for entering;
• bonuses for walking fast enough (e.g. extra per minute under 24 hours – my fastest is 23.17);
• bonuses for completing as a team

and so on.

I hope that the cause – Oxfam and, jointly, the Ghurka Welfare Trust (for Ghurka’s back in Nepal) – will be appealing.  For further information please visit the Oxfam website http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/fundraise/index.html.

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. Please dig deep and sponsor me online.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor us: Oxfam Trailwalker will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor us now!

Many thanks for your support.

Andrew, Diana, Guy and Yvonne