Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron

Valentina Klejnow is raising money for Alzheimer's Society

Participants: Off Cdts: V Klejnow, A Gonzalez, K Seward, A McLeod, P Cooper, R Leung, J Ross, P Bage, J Brierley, L Williams, P Richardson, J Wells, W Stott, A Holmes

Story

Thanks for visiting our fundraising page.

The Team
A little about the team. There are 17 of us aged between 18 and 25, we are all university students in the North East. The range of subjects we study are vast, from Engineers to Doctors, to Historians to Lawyers to Computer Scientists to Physiotherapists. Training and this event is one of the things we find time to do in our spare time.

Off Cdt Valentina Klejnow - Team Leader - NUAS
Off Cdt Amy Gonzalez - NUAS
Off Cdt Kim Seward - NUAS
Off Cdt Katie Spencer - NUAS
Off Cdt Paul Cooper - NUAS
Off Cdt Richard Leung - NUAS
Off Cdt Jamie Ross - NUAS
Off Cdt Adelina Mcleod - NUAS
Off Cdt Peter Bage - NUAS
Off Cdt John Brierley - NUAS
Off Cdt Lloyd Williams - NUAS
Off Cdt Tobi Layade - UWAS
Off Cdt Paul Richardson - DTUS
Off Cdt John Wells - DTUS
Off Cdt William Stott - DTUS
Off Cdt Annie Holmes - SUOTC
Off Cdt Richard Poad-Baker - QOY

What are we doing?
The Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron, alongside members of Universities of Wales Air Squadron, DTUS Trojan Squadron, Sheffield Universities Officer Training Corps and the QOY have embarked upon training in preparation for the 100 mile Nijmegen march in July, also known as the Vierdaagse. This event is taking place in and around Nijmegen city between the 21st and 24th July 2009. This requires a massive amount of mental and physical strength and determination, as team members carry 10Kgs of dead weight (i.e. not including water and food) and wearing issue Combat Assault Boots for the duration of the march.

The marches were first introduced to the Dutch Military in 1909 to keep personnel fit after the introduction of motor transport. Over the following years it has developed into a walking festival for military and civilians alike. Last year saw 43,450 people from around the globe register to take part with 34,962 of those crossing the finish line. The march itself consists of 4 days of waking up between 2 and 3am, marching 25 miles, singing songs and chants to get the team and other teams around the routes before treating all foot problems and getting as much shut eye as possible in between!

Between us, before even arriving at Nijmegen, we will have walked 3855 miles, acquired several foot hardening blisters and endured agonising road pound! All our training has and will be around RAF Leeming whether it rains, snows, hails or shines! Only 5 of the team have ever been before, and are doing it all over again, this time in the name of charity! We are actually taking 10 of us to Nijmegen, but several of the team are doing ALL the training up to that point too. Which means after that 3855, we will walk at least another 1000 between us, a grand total of 4855 miles! Individually its the equivalent of walking 25 miles each day for 16.12 days!

The Charity
We have chosen to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society as the charity is one close to several team members' families hearts and we feel that is a charity that is often overlooked and forgotten about.

Alzheimer's and Dementia Statistics:

There are currently 700,000 people with dementia in the UK.
There are currently 15,000 younger people with dementia in the UK.
There are over 11,500 people with dementia from black and minority ethnic groups in the UK.
There will be over a million people with dementia by 2025.
Two thirds of people with dementia are women.
The proportion of people with dementia doubles for every 5 year age group.
One third of people over 95 have dementia.
60,000 deaths a year are directly attributable to dementia.
Delaying the onset of dementia by 5 years would reduce deaths directly attributable to dementia by 30,000 a year.
The financial cost of dementia to the UK is over £17 billion a year.
Family carers of people with dementia save the UK over £6 billion a year.
64% of people living in care homes have a form of dementia.
Two thirds of people with dementia live in the community while one third live in a care home.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor us: Alzheimer's Society 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 please sponsor us now!

Links:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafleeming/aboutus/nuas.cfm

http://castle-jcr.dur.ac.uk/ranger/

http://www.dsfc.ac.uk/Academic/dtus/index.asp

http://www.army.mod.uk/UOTC/5478.aspx

Facebook Group:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=61705722128&ref=ts

NEWS UPDATES:

27/04/2009 ALL are qualified now to go to Nijmegen having marched 50 miles at the weekend gaining a few blisters/blood blisters and chaffeage!

10/05/2009 Team has been submitted on Stage 2 to the Nijmegen March Registrations Officer.

20/05/2009 Next training session to take place first weekend in June after University exams.