Fundraising Events

MSRC’s Incredible Fundraisers

We have many people that would like to support MSRC by organising an event with the goal to either raise vital funds or generate essential MS awareness. In return we provide our fundraisers with lots of encouragement and support. If you would like to organise an event for MSRC whether it’s a book sale, coffee morning or a sponsored abseil e-mail Sam at sam@msrc.co.uk.

We can provide you with the all important TeamMSRC t-shirt, personalised posters, sponsorship forms and a ‘How to Fundraise Guide’. Join TeamMSRC today!

Tom Pope, long-term supporter of MSRC has just finished his toughest challenge yet, the L’etape du Tour – here is his account of the ultimate challenge!

The trip started with a bit of a nightmare......we booked a hotel that was 20k from the start line on Google but turned out to be on the other side of the valley and a 2.5 hour drive from the start. Subsequently, we had to scramble to find a room in an area that was fully booked a year ago! We got very lucky, however, as we were able to get into a place on someone's cancellation which made the 7AM start on Monday a little easier. In addition to this (and keeping with the theme of making an already difficult task a lot more challenging) we had to leave a car at the bottom of Alpe d'Huez and drive the route over Col du Telegrpahe and Col du Galibier on the Sunday night through a storm at 2k above sea level with 1 metre visibility. Looking back on it, surviving the ascent in pitch black on those roads was probably half as much of an accomplishment as getting to the top of the thing on a bike!

This journey proved to be a 5 hour round trip and resulted in us arriving in our hotel at 1AM on Sunday, leaving us with 4 hours sleep before we started. Hardly ideal preparation!

To give you an indication of the day is fairly tough so it's probably best to check out an official video at http://www.asochallenge.com/us/10km_classement.html where you can see us ascending the peaks if you search by surname (Pope, Davies, Ben). In contrast to the marathon, I can safely say that this is the hardest thing I have ever taken on.

After climbing Telegraph and Galibier, you are left with a 35 mile (ish) descent which carries you right through to the bottom of the mammoth Alpe d'Huez. By the time you get here, you have little left to give and this Alpe takes you to a dark place in climbing the thing for over 2 hours. Getting to the top in the heat is the best feeling of accomplishment yet.

We were so beat by the time we got to the top that we really didn’t even think about photographs so, unfortunately, the best I can do is attach some official ones I purchased on the day.

I really hope the funds raised by our efforts goes a long way to helping you guys and the fantastic job you all do at MSRC!

Our warmest congratulations to Tom and Bevan for completing an incredibly tough challenge and our thanks for their fundraising efforts of over £4,000 for MSRC – we look forward to hearing about their next challenge!

Deia Sakal and Emily Nott recently organised a fundraising event at their school, Gosfield School near Halstead. They decided to hold a 12-hour sponsored bounce-athon to help raise vital funds and awareness for MSRC.

Deia felt really passionate about the cause and the event: “My uncle died from multiple sclerosis and my step-mum is a trustee of MSRC so I suggested we choose the charity as the beneficiary of this year’s sponsored event. The idea was to have at least one person continually bouncing on a trampoline from 9am to 9pm. It was great fun but quite tiring towards the end.”

32 pupils aged between 13 and 16 took part in a 12-hour sponsored trampoline bounce raising a minimum of £480, with funds still coming in Deia is hopeful that they will reach £700.

MSRC Chief Executive, Helen Yates, noted: “We are totally reliant on fundraising to continue our valuable work and it is events such as this which help us help so many people. It’s a great effort by the youngsters.”

My dad was diagnosed with MS 13 years ago.  I see his bad days and it really upsets me.  I feel helpless; he has lost the feeling in the left hand side of his body.

As I walk around town I never see any charities collecting for multiple sclerosis and it really annoys me so I planned to do something myself.  I decided that I was going to do a 6 mile walk to raise MS awareness. 

I got in touch with MSRC who gave me advice and sponsorship forms.  I put the details on my Facebook account and asked if anyone would be interested in sponsoring me. 

When I checked back, a few of my friends actually wanted to do the walk with me as they all know somebody with MS or have been affected by MS.  Gradually it went from me walking on my own to 16 of us doing it together; the eldest was 57 and the youngest was my 9 month old son.

We all had great fun doing the walk and between us we raised over £1300.  We have now decided to make the walk an annual event by adding on a mile or two each year.   I really feel like I have helped – it may not help my dad now but it will hopefully help others.

Thank you xx

If you would like to support Kerrie’s efforts please visit: www.justgiving.co.uk/kerrieandfriends

If you’re near the Stevenage area and would like to take part in Kerrie’s walk next year contact Sam on sam@msrc.co.uk for more information

7.40am Start of the Walk – Grantham
From Left to Right: Jai, Lubna, Christian, Lucia and Nicoletta

Our charity walk took place on 8th of August 2009, which turned out to be a bright and sunny day. We – Jay, Lubna, Christian, Lucia and Nicoletta – set off at 8 am in Grantham and followed the canal that would lead us through the beautiful Vale of Belvoir. It was really nice and we stopped several times to admire the scenery, butterflies, flowers, rabbits and swans, or just to enjoy the gentle breeze and the sound of the leaves moving in it.

10am – Still full of energy

However, 33 miles is a long distance, and by the end we were all aching somewhere. The first 20 miles were fine, but between the 20th and 27th milestone we were joined by fatigue and for the last 7 miles also cramps, blisters and aching knees became our permanent companions. It was just willpower that carried us to the end.

But we made it! We completed our walk, which had started in the sunshine, more than 14 hours later in the moonlight in Nottingham. Besides the boundaries of three counties, we had crossed our own physical and mental limits – a very tiring but rewarding experience. The green TeamMSRC t-shirts helped us to get attention from the public and to talk to them about MS. This also made us realise how widespread the disease is, since many knew someone with MS.

People were impressed by our achievement as much as we were/are impressed by the donations that we had collected until then and that are still coming in!

Finished - Nottingham

We are very grateful for all the support, encouragement and interest that we have received from friends, colleagues and those people we met on that day. Only with this help, have we been able to reach our targets: to raise money and awareness for MS.

Special thanks go to the MSRC team for offering their experience and support from day one!

Best wishes,

Jay, Lubna, Christian, Lucia and Nicoletta

The 33 Milestones team have raised over £1,100.

If you would like to support their efforts please visit www.justgiving.com/milestones-for-ms

© Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre (MSRC)