Story
"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful.
Honour and recognition in event of success."
From an advertisement, preceding Shackleton's Nimrod expedition.
Waxing lyrical about the need for a challenge last Christmas (from the warmth and safety of the Duke on the Green) The National Three Peaks
held no fear. Following a bit of sober research in January it slowly began to dawn just what was involved !! A few brave souls decided to take up
the challenge and have spent months training in wind and rain not to mention the unexpected scorching heat of this years summer in preparation
for the 'big plod'. For the un-initiated The National 3 Peaks Challenge involves climbing and descending Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike & Snowdon within
24 hours, with all driving between mountains and rest time included ! Its our aim first and foremost to safely complete all three Peaks - coming in under 24 hours
would be a real achievement and one we all hope we can pull off. (we do however have an average age of 44 including Rob whose only 26 !!)
Why not have a stab at guessing what time we will get in at. The nearest guess will get a prize of £50.
All your contributions will be very much appreciated by the Robert Grace Trust and will certainly keep us motivated.
Let me introduce the team.
Climbers: John Aldcroft, Rob Davies, Kevin Goodwin, Jacqui Macqueen, Graig Rodgers & Martin Shipley.
Support team (driving, first aid, food, official time keepers and shoulder to cry on): Rex Whittaker & Gordon Macqueen
We must say a huge thank you to Dave Carpenter and Derek Feeley from Sloane Demolition for their massive generosity in providing us with the 9th and most valuable member of the team
- a nine seater minibus.
We'd also like to thank Michael Collins our CEO at Goldcrest Land Plc for providing us with state of the art resuscitation and communication equipment - all of which we hope to hand back unopened!
I look forward to posting photos of the entire team completing the challenge.
Thanks again for your support.
Jacqui Macqueen
More: The Robert Grace Trust
In 1986, the architect Robert Grace died of AIDS and in 1987 the Robert Grace Trust was set up by his friends in his memory to provide immediate practical help to people with HIV/AIDS and their carers. Run by volunteers, the Robert Grace Trust has since then provided over 98% of around £500k via their RGT Hardship Funds, to those they wish to help. Giving was channelled initially through the HIV/AIDS counsellors at London’s Middlesex / Mortimer Market and Royal Free Hospitals and, in 2000, was extended to two South African NGOs - Nkosi’s Haven and Community Action - in Johannesburg, and in 2004 to St Paul's Children’s Rescue Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Recently the Trust has re-connected with the Patient Counselling Service at Mortimer Market and re-instated their Hardship Fund via this service.
More: Nkosi’s Haven and Nkosi's Haven Vukani Started by Gail Johnson to keep together families like that of Nkosi Johnson and his birth mother, the two Nkosi’s Havens are the home of 50 AIDS orphans and HIV positive mothers and their children, where they live, attending nursery and school and working and looking after their lives in a safe family environment. The Trust’s giving focuses on children’s school fees and uniforms, utility and rates bills and monthly grocery expenses, all fundamental daily issues for this large family of ever-increasing size, against a background of minimal statutory support. Nkosi's Haven Vukani is a programme linked to the Soweto Gospel Choir which provides outreach support to registered organisations caring for vulnerable and/or orphaned children with AIDS. The main source of its funding is via the RGT support of the Choir’s massively successful collection boxes at their annual summer performances in and .
More: Community Action
Community Action trains local teams to care holistically for people with HIV/AIDS, in hospital and at home. The teams encourage family awareness and activity within their own communities as a means to counteract the sense of stigma, shame and disgrace which inadvertently contribute to the continuing spread of the AIDS pandemic. The RGT Hardship Fund currently supports the care team in Alexandra, providing monthly stipends and grants to meet their clients’ needs in their daily experience of living with HIV/AIDS, with rent payments, funeral expenses, travel costs, food parcels, and any acute emergency need.
More: ’s Children’s Rescue Centre
At this orphanage of 50 children, which the RGT Hardship Fund has regularly supported for 6 years, the Trust’s art training workshop programme has also thrived, giving the children enjoyment while learning. Their works are sold at the Trust’s fundraising events - the next one being on October 8th in the Brunswick Centre Gallery, London.
If you wish to help us to continue our support of these organisations, please give to the Robert Grace Trust by contacting us by donating online via this page. You can also contact us by e-mail as follows: robertgracetrust@arparchitects.co.uk
In 1986, the architect Robert Grace died of AIDS and in 1987 the Robert Grace Trust was set up by his friends in his memory to provide immediate practical help to people with HIV/AIDS and their carers. Run by volunteers, the Robert Grace Trust has since then provided over 98% of around £500k via their RGT Hardship Funds, to those they wish to help. Giving was channelled initially through the HIV/AIDS counsellors at London’s Middlesex / Mortimer Market and Royal Free Hospitals and, in 2000, was extended to two South African NGOs - Nkosi’s Haven and Community Action - in Johannesburg, and in 2004 to St Paul's Children’s Rescue Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Recently the Trust has re-connected with the Patient Counselling Service at Mortimer Market and re-instated their Hardship Fund via this service.
More: Nkosi’s Haven and Nkosi's Haven Vukani Started by Gail Johnson to keep together families like that of Nkosi Johnson and his birth mother, the two Nkosi’s Havens are the home of 50 AIDS orphans and HIV positive mothers and their children, where they live, attending nursery and school and working and looking after their lives in a safe family environment. The Trust’s giving focuses on children’s school fees and uniforms, utility and rates bills and monthly grocery expenses, all fundamental daily issues for this large family of ever-increasing size, against a background of minimal statutory support. Nkosi's Haven Vukani is a programme linked to the Soweto Gospel Choir which provides outreach support to registered organisations caring for vulnerable and/or orphaned children with AIDS. The main source of its funding is via the RGT support of the Choir’s massively successful collection boxes at their annual summer performances in and .
More: Community Action
Community Action trains local teams to care holistically for people with HIV/AIDS, in hospital and at home. The teams encourage family awareness and activity within their own communities as a means to counteract the sense of stigma, shame and disgrace which inadvertently contribute to the continuing spread of the AIDS pandemic. The RGT Hardship Fund currently supports the care team in Alexandra, providing monthly stipends and grants to meet their clients’ needs in their daily experience of living with HIV/AIDS, with rent payments, funeral expenses, travel costs, food parcels, and any acute emergency need.
More: ’s Children’s Rescue Centre
At this orphanage of 50 children, which the RGT Hardship Fund has regularly supported for 6 years, the Trust’s art training workshop programme has also thrived, giving the children enjoyment while learning. Their works are sold at the Trust’s fundraising events - the next one being on October 8th in the Brunswick Centre Gallery, London.
If you wish to help us to continue our support of these organisations, please give to the Robert Grace Trust by contacting us by donating online via this page. You can also contact us by e-mail as follows: robertgracetrust@arparchitects.co.uk
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