Charlotte V's Devizes to Westminster (DW) International Kayak Marathon
Stephen Vinall is raising money for The Poppy Factory
Participants: my dad; Stephen Vinall
Story
Well it's done. 2 capsizes; (the first of which resulted in a 6 inch crack in the boat that needed daily repairing and still gradually let in water); 125 miles; 77 portages; 3 nights of camping; 3 days of c. 8 hours paddling; and, one 17 mile sprint down the Thames had us arriving in sunshine before 0900hrs on Easter Monday. A huge thank-you to everyone who has donated. Between team Bradley (Dave and Pip) and team Vinall, and with gift-aid, we have raised c. £10,000 for The Poppy Factory which makes the lack of sleep, sore arms, sore shoulders and sore backsides pale into insignificance! And the picture shows one very proud father.
----------------------------------------------------
Over Easter weekend 2015 I will be taking part in the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe and Kayak Marathon. The DW is recognised as one of the UK's toughest endurance challenges and over the course of the weekend my Dad and I will paddle 125 miles and portage (carry) our 2-man kayak around 76 locks.
We are raising money to support the wonderful work of The Poppy Factory which was originally started in 1922 when Major George Howson MC, an engineer who served on the Western Front in the First World War, founded the Disabled Society to help disabled ex-Service men and women.
Howson suggested to the British Legion that the Society should make poppies, and the artificial flowers were designed so that someone who had lost the use of a hand could assemble them. Within a few months the factory was providing work and an income for 50 disabled veterans. As demand grew, the premises became too small and in 1925, the Factory moved to the current site in Richmond, Surrey. In the same year the charity changed its name to the British Legion Poppy Factory.
Today the Poppy Factory continues to make the poppies for the Royal Family and the Royal British Legion’s annual Remembrance Day appeal. Since 2007 the Poppy Factory has been placing wounded, injured or sick ex-military personnel into jobs beyond the Factory and all around the UK. It is the only UK charity with the singe minded ambition to help wounded, sick and injured ex-Service men and women find and sustain civilian employment.