Malcolm Ritchie, Head of Year 9 for the Richard Hale School in Hertford is pulling together a Richard Hale GRIM8 Muscle Team for an extraordinary event that takes place on Sat 6th Dec 2008. The GRIM8 challenge is a "hugely fun" off-road adventure over 8 miles of awesome terrain! The task to run over hills, wade through water filled ravines and crawl under army camouflage netting! The location is near Aldershot on land used for testing big Army vehicles!

The challenge was thrown down to Malcolm Ritchie and Stephen Neate (Headmaster) by Hertfordshire’s very own polar personality Michael McGrath who was invited by the school to give a talk at the Hertford Corn Exchange to 160 Year 9 pupils as part of their Enrichment Week earlier in June this year. The Richard Hale GRIM8 Muscle Team will join other Muscle Teams from the region in helping to raise funds for Michael’s charity, The Muscular Help Foundation (MHF).

Despite having muscular dystrophy, Michael is the only disabled person in the world to have reached both North and South Poles. He has set a record-breaking goal to pull together the BIGGEST GRIM8 TEAM EVER in the history of the GRIM8 event. He is looking to recruit at least 50 GRIM8 MUSCLE WARRIORS of all ages, sizes and abilities! So far 11 people have joined the Richard Hale GRIM8 Muscle Team and each one is aiming to raise £500 per person for the charity.

Funds raised will go towards the charities MUSCLE DREAMS programme – see the description of the charity to the left of this page. MUSCLE DREAMS can cost anywhere from £250 to £5000 depending on what they are. Those who donate will be able to see how their support is used by following MHF’s LATEST NEWS section on the charities website … whether it’s meeting a famous TV celebrity chef, meeting the presenters off the BBC’s popular Top Gear programme or enjoying top VIP hospitality whilst watching your favourite sport!

The Richard Hale GRIM8 Muscle Team needs your support to push that mercury off the scale … so please encourage friends and supporters of the school to support this very worthy local cause and give as generously as they can. Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It’s the most efficient way to sponsor our chosen charity. If you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you! Thank you.

Malcolm Ritchie
Head of Year 9 Richard Hale School, Hertford
For and on behalf of The Muscular Help Foundation
Registered Charity No. 1096716
www.musclehelp.com