PROVINCE 10 CHARITABLE GIVING

As the various lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic grew to a close the members of  Provincial Council debated the size of their funds.  They came to the conclusion that the monies held were in excess of the likely requirements of the Province and therefore decided to make a donation to charity.  Various charities were mentioned but two made it to the top of the list and each was to be given £1,000. 

Preston and District Circle 144 were  about to hold a Charity BBQ to raise money for Brother President, Shaun Horsfield's, chosen charity, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).  The BBQ was held in a 'medieval' barn at Haighton Hall Farm.  On the day and along with a number of generous donations they raised about £1,700 for the charity in addition to the donation from Provincial Council.  See the post below dated 13 August 2021 for details of the event.

Now the son of the long time Secretary of Westmorland Circle, Brother Paul Bates, came up with a challenge to celebrate Paul’s 70th birthday - to run Coast to Coast along Hadrian's Wall over three days. A distance of 94 miles.  Paul and son, Tom, set off from Bowness-on-Solway on the coast west of Carlisle and finished on the beach at North Shields near the entrance to the River Tyne east of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.  Paul says that day 1 was ok and they covered 36 miles, but he found days 2 and 3 hard despite the fact that he has been running the Cumbrian fells for many years.  For the most part of these days they did run but towards the end of the day it was more of a crawl.  

They were spurred on knowing that the Catenian Association had donated £1,000 for their efforts for their chosen charity Alzheimer's Society.  Paul, a retired GP, considers this to be a very relevant charity as dementia has an impact on most families in some way.  Father and son enjoyed spending three days running together through beautiful Northumberland, but Paul thinks he will only accept easier challenges in future.

 

Paul receiving the cheque from Provincial President Bernard Swabrick watched by members of Westmorland Circle.