On Saturday 5th February we are organising a team from Graypaul Birmingham to take on the Fan Dance Race across The Brecon Beacons.

All money raised will be split equally between Andy Lilley and Acorns Children’s Hospice, a local charity with Hospices in Birmingham Worcester and Walsall. Acorns help families with children who have a life limiting or life threatening condition. Their dedicated team offer psychological, emotional and practical support and are there to provide palliative care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For those of you that don't know, Andy has been a member of the Graypaul family for nearly 10 years, September last year Andy had a severe stroke which has had a devastating and life changing effect on him and his family, the team at Graypaul will very much have Andy at the forefront of their minds during this challenge as they hope to continue to support Andy and his family during his rehabilitation.

The Fan Dance has historically been an integral part of the British SAS Selection course which was first introduced as an essential test in the decade following the Second World War. At nearly sixty years old it is the world’s oldest and most famous Special Forces Selection test and the standard by which all others are set. Designed by the late Major John Woodhouse, the architect and pioneer of the first SAS Selection course, his original test is still in use today and has its own Fan Dance counterpart, recognised and utilised by the US (Delta) and Australian (SAS) Special Forces counterparts to the SAS for their own respective Selection courses. Originally known as Exercise High Walk, it today goes by the unofficial moniker The Fan Dance.

You will be glad to hear that we will be taking the Fan Dance at a more leisurely pace than the SAS and will be doing the event ‘clean fatigue’ (no weight) the special forces have to do the march with 25lbs of rucksack plus supplies and it takes them about 4 hours!