Just weeks after climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for the Evelina Children’s Hospital, News MD Chris Mullany got on his bike and cycled 185 miles from London to Paris in one day.
The double-whammy challenge raised another £2,300 in sponsorship – taking our fundraising total to £92,730, ever closer to our £100,000 target.
“It was tough but it was great,” said Chris of the 24-hour challenge, despite having only two hours’ sleep on the ferry and then cycling ten miles in the wrong direction from Dieppe in the dark!
To make it to Paris on time, the team of four – including Camberwell resident Lionel Healing, who was raising money for Save the Children and Raj Banjeree, whose sponsorship money went to Trinity Hospice – had to consult the map and cycle the remaining 120 miles through France in ten hours.
Despite losing his passport on the way home and having to sweet-talk a customs officer, Chris said it was well worth the effort. “It’s a fantastic hospital. They get money from the NHS but our fundraising goes to buying specific things and if you were a parent with a child there you’d want them to have the very best.”
Both challenges were paid for out of Chris’s pocket, so every penny raised will go straight to the hospital where it is needed for equipment like intensive care cots and infant warming systems.
If you want to hold a fundraising event or undertake a challenge to help us reach our £100,000 target, you can email news@www.newsatden.co.uk.
To make a donation:
Chris:http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Evelina_2013
Lionel:?www.justgiving.com/lionel-healing/
Raj:?www.justgiving.com/Raj-Banerjee?utm_id=26
GET INVOLVED! Visit our appeal website to find out more:?www.evelinachildrenappeal.com
What your money buys
Two baby ventilators – £52k
These ventilators are crucial for very premature babies. Babies who are born this early are perfectly formed, but their lungs are not developed.
Infant warming system – £15k
This is an open cot that provides heat for babies that are really sick and can’t maintain their own temperature.
One intensive care cot – £19k
Last year, Evelina treated 800 babies, of which 80 per cent were from Southwark and Lambeth. The intensive care cots are in high demand, and are fully occupied day and night 80 to 100 per cent of the time. They need as many as they can get.
Evelina Hospital School – £14k
The Evelina Hospital School provides one-to-one bedside tuition for older children at the hospital, many of whom are battling life-threatening illnesses. Last year they provided 1,500 children with education, but they are currently only funded for half of the places they need.
Total needed – £100,000