NEWS

31st January 2006

Support our Quarry and the Marathon des Sables

The Marathon des Sables or ‘Marathon in the Sands’ is an ultra marathon known as the toughest footrace on earth. It is a 151 mile endurance event held in the Sahara Desert in Morocco between 9th and 15th April 2006. Over 700 participants will attempt to run the distance over 6 days in daytime temperatures often exceeding 120°F/49°C and night time temperatures of below freezing! The terrain ranges from unforgiving rocky outcrops to relentlessly deep sand dunes. Does this already sound like more pain than you could bear? Well the runners also have to carry their own supplies i.e. food for 6 days, sleeping bag, flares, first aid kits etc etc, an average back-pack weighs around 10 kilos! They do get the luxury of a Bedouin tent to sleep in at night and water is rationed at each checkpoint. The race in run in daily stages of 26 miles however one stage is non-stop race over 52 miles. Why tell you about this race…

Ali Bamford and Adrian Sole, who we chase all over the county every Sunday, are taking up the challenge.

Ali is taking part in order to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. MS is the most common disabling neurological disorder affecting over 85,000 people in the UK alone. The disorder affects the messages between the brain and other parts of the body. The MS Society provides respite care, a freephone Helpline, grants for home adaptations and mobility aid, information and specialist MS nurses. Through your valuable sponsorship the MS Society will be able to fund a MS Specialist Practitioner in the East Surrey area to help over 200 patients.

To help raise funds for this very worthy cause and give Ali all the encouragement we can, please go on their website www.mssociety.org.uk where you can donate online or ask Peter Topham for a sponsor form at any one of our meets. 

Thank you and GOOD LUCK ALI AND ADRIAN!

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22nd November: There will be no hunting at the Kennels on Sunday 27th November but we are expecting to be hunting again at Crockham Hill on the 4th December. Please call the hunt secretary first to confirm. 

Bill is making steady progress now and was due home today (Tuesday 22nd Nov)

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Update on Bill on 15th November
It has been confirmed that Bill has fractured 5 vertebrae so is likely to be in hospital for a while, however he is going to make a full recovery. Thanks again to those of you who have called to wish him well. He is in East Surrey Hospital, please call the kennels first if you are planning to visit.

Hunting will go ahead next Sunday at Heaselands, please call the Hunt Secretary as usual to book in.

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At Borde Hill Bill took a bad fall, and has compressed two vertebrae and is awaiting further tests today (Monday) before the hospital will decide how long he will be staying. We should have more news later today so please call the kennels if you would like to know how he is.

We all wish Bill a speedy recovery and hope he is home soon. We also would like to thank everyone who has called to send their best wishes.

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 Bill did well to hold Teddy following the meet at the Kennels when his noseband snapped on the first line at the amusement of his daughter Camilla who was whipping in on her youngster Aflie, who took all the hedges in his stride despite them being a bit bigger than they were expecting!

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Congratulations to Joint Master Andrew Coveney and his wife Fiona who had a baby boy last week. He has been named Merrick and weighed in at 9lbs 11ounces. We do wish them all well and look forward to seeing Fiona back in the saddle soon!

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At the opening meet Joint Master Tony Watts was the proud winner of the prize for the most spectacular fall of the 04/05 season and our young and athletic quarry members Adrian Sole and Mike Borer have been awarded their hunt buttons. Mike had lots to cheer about as it was also his birthday and he is celebrating his 24th season running with the bloodhounds!