What we are doing and why:

Annabelle and I have got the 100 bug thanks to Captain Tom and so we have decided that between us we will do 100 “Captain Tom 100” challenges over 100 days, starting on his birthday Friday 30th April.  We can’t guarantee every challenge will be unique, but we will do our best.  Annabelle and I will primarily be doing the challenges but we will try to get Ben and Alex (as a team) involved (hahaaa)! 

As this was a last minute decision I don’t have a list and dates the challenges will be done on, however I will be updating everyone on a regular basis of our activities and progress over the 100 days.

We have chosen to support BIBS, a local charity that supports the Neonatal ICU at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.  This is a charity very close to our hearts, as all three of my children were born 8 weeks early via emergency c-section because I developed preeclampsia.  As a result all my babies were in NICU, Annabelle weighed 4lbs and was there for 2 weeks, the twins weighed 4lbs and 3lbs and were in for just over a month.  While in NICU they needed constant monitoring, assistance with their breathing and they were fed through a tube until they were able to feed on their own.

To say the nurses, doctors and BIBS volunteers of the BUSCOT ward are incredible people would be an gross understatement.  Anyone that’s had a premature or poorly baby in the NICU will know how hard it is and to have such incredible people supporting you at every turn means more than words can say.  BIBS understands this so well and do so much to support everyone in this situation, from managing and refurbishing incredible homey family lounges and overnight accommodation and providing support for parents, to helping supply the latest technology and equipment that will aid in the care and development of babies on Buscot Ward.

These wonderful people felt like family to us, looked after us like family would and most of all took such incredible care of our 3 children that we were able to take them home!  For this we will be forever grateful! We couldn’t have made it through without you.

Thank you x

This is a list of some of the challenges we have come up with so far and are hoping to complete over the next 100 days:

100 mountain climbers
100 squats
100 sit-ups
100 slides down our slide
Sow 100 sunflowers seeds
Complete a new 100 piece puzzle
catch and throw a ball 100 times
Run 100 metres
Walk up and down the stairs 100 times
Paint “100” and put it in our window
Plant 100 sunflowers in the garden and make a sunflower hut
Draw 100 pictures
Swim a 100 metres
Pick up a 100 pieces of litter
Finish a new puzzle in 100 minutes
Build a 100 block duplo tower
Walk for a 100 minutes
100 piece dominos run
100 skips with a skipping rope
Read 100 minutes of children’s books before bed
100 sec plank
100 knee ups
Eat 100 blueberries
Complete 100 math sums
Walk 100 laps around our garden
Eat a 100 grapes
100 bicep curls
100 swings on a swing

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic effect on charities, with the cancellation of thousands of events and the loss of billions in income. At a time when vulnerable members of society need them most, charities have had to cut services, furlough staff and some have even shut down. Captain Tom stepped up to help, taking on his famous walk to support the NHS Covid-19 appeal and inspiring millions to donate to the cause. I will be celebrating the extraordinary spirit of Captain Tom my way and help my chosen charity.