3 Peaks Challenge

Please read the letter below from one of our Scouts parents and the achievement of Jamie Pritchard and Matthew Thomas.  Well done from everyone in 1st Davenham Scout Group

Morning Everyone,

Last weekend, on Sat 4th June, Jamie and two friends from school all aged 12, Mia aged 10 and accompanying parents completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge in 12 hours. This was an extremely arduous trek encompassing 3 peaks totalling 5200ft climb, with a walk of 25 miles in 12 hours.

They did it and were absolutely exhausted but they finished what many adults attempt but can't complete, showing tremendous fortitude and focus. Mia battled with the remnants of a cold and a turned ankle, Tom tried to kneecap himself on part of the first peak but only bled for the next 11.5 hours so it wasn't too bad !!! (smiley faced knee and now known as Peggy to his mates), and Mathew ended up with two vivid, deep red holes like targets where his heels should have been! Grandad lost a toenail but didn't tell anyone until sunday, and Norm and Jo spent the evening in A and E sorting out Tom's knee - all 3 of them missing the celebration BBQ and having cold sausages at midnight for supper after all that effort! Jo was really suffering from a cold and still completed it. Seriously huge effort all round.

Breakfast the next morning was nearly a washout but spirits were high as that could have been the weather they had to walk in - a lucky escape by all. Jamie felt the rain wasn't wet enough so went for a bracing dip in the river, briefly, and very quickly followed it with a hot shower and a pint of tea! Thank you Uncle Andy 'Birthday Boy' for putting that idea into his head!

All this pain, training, agony and effort was for one purpose - to raise funds for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research so that more sufferers survive these killer diseases. Jamie knows he was lucky to survive and to get through all the treatment so that he is now in remission and at High School as any other 12 year old boy. Jamie is also very aware of those are not so lucky and in recognition of the work of Alder Hey and Leighton Hospitals and the research done, he chose to raise funds for LLR, so that more people survive. He has a fantastic group of friends who have supported him through his illness and continue to help him fundraise now.

Please recognise the efforts of these fabulous children and the poor parents who agree to accompany them then have to do it! by visiting the justgiving page below and DIG DEEP
and be generous if you possibly can. The months of training, physical and mental preparation as well as their achievement deserve to be acknowledged. Please help us reach our target.

Many thanks in anticipation, and apologies if you have already received an email from one of the group, and thank you if yo have already donated

Jo
Jo Pritchard

01606 49324
07825 985599

www.justgiving.com/jamieswalkers-2011

Lubwe Fund

1st Davenham Scout Group are please to announce that our chosen charity for 2011/12 is

The Lubwe Fund

One of the most important causes of disease in the Third World is dirty water.

Less than 2% of the population of Zambia has access to clean water
Average life expectancy is 38 years
One in five children die before they are 5 years old
In Lubwe there is just one Doctor for 45,000 people

In the UK we have 90 Doctors per 50,000 people. Please help us to continue to make a real difference. These are people who want to learn - want to live through TB and Malaria, want to see the day when 20% of their children won’t die by the age of just 5 years old. In Zambia and many parts of Africa, many mothers still die in childbirth.

Access to education at Primary school level is improving but one third of children are unable to attend. A large proportion drop out of school because they cannot afford the school fees (around £1 a term).

The economy in the area depends upon the dwindling fish supplies in Lake Bangweula, and subsistence farming in an arid landscape. There is very little possibility of employment in the whole of the Lubwe district and the nearest town is 80 kilometres away.The delightful children are growing up; full of enthusiasm but ill equipped for life.

THE LUBWE FUND HAVE NO OVERHEADS - EVERY PENNY GOES TO THOSE THEY HELP. PLEASE LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE ACHIEVED, THE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS, FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE. A BIG THANK YOU

At the awards presentation we will be selling bottles of water.
Please keep these bottles and fill them with change over the summer holidays and return to your section leader when they are full.