Beer festival and a 52 mile walk to fundraise for birdshot

BUS members’ October fundraising
Birdshot beer bash

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Clare Wood from Newcastle held a beer festival for us, and above and below are a few pictures that set the scene.  By all accounts it was a very jolly occasion for fellow birdies, their friends and families and work colleagues.

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Birdshot helpers

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Birdshot bar staff

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Here is a message from Clare:   “Just a quick update on the fundraising beer festival. We are now at £2833 which is fab. Thanks to Sharron, Barrie, Debbie, Annie, and David and Carly for their help with prizes, flags and designs. Ella (my daughter) also raised £600 doing the Great North Run recently.”

BUS hopes that this might become an annual event, like the Birdshot Shoot.  Despite the massive amount of work Clare put in organising it, she has already said she will be in touch next year when (we hope) she may do another one!

52 miles for Birdshot

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Barrie Standish and his friend John are two keen fitness fanatics in the North West of England who thought they could easily manage a 52-mile stroll for birdshot.  The aim was to promote the eye condition and raise a bit of money along the way.

On Friday October 21st, just after lunch, they set off on their route.  They walked from Glazebury, going through Lymm, Knutsford and Holmes Chapel. They walked 26 miles out and returned the same way. They set off at a brisk pace, and by evening time it was obvious that they would be walking through the night.  It was not as easy as they had imagined.

The following morning at 6.02am, Barrie’s wife Debs reported on Facebook:  “He is home now and tucked up in bed. His words: NEVER AGAIN…. So proud of them. Thank you to all who have sponsored for this amazing achievement…He will suffer when he tries to get out of the bed.  I am sure there could be less challenging ways, but that’s Barrie!”

Barrie commented afterwards to his birdshot friends who had supported him online through the night: “Thank you so much for all your support and donations, really, really appreciated your well wishes, it went a long way in helping us keep going through the night. I can honestly say that I have never done anything that hard in my life! We had to dig deep and then find some more from somewhere. The last seven hours were purgatory. John lost the skin on both feet and toes, and I’ve got away with 3 blisters.  My legs are absolutely battered, I’m lying on the couch not knowing what to do with myself, it’s the tendons at the backs of my knees, I can’t straighten them properly, walking around like Max Wall.  Never ever again.”

But we say: watch this space!

Barrie raised nearly £1,000 from his walk which is a fantastic total.

What a fabulous couple of fundraising events from the north of England! Thank you all for your great efforts. BUS will be putting all the money raised from these two events towards future birdshot research.

3rd Clay Pigeon Shoot 3rd June 2015

On 3rd June 2015, we are holding our 3rd Annual Shoot at the Royal Berkshire Shooting Club.  We are delignted to announce that once again Lord Archer has kindly agreed to be our auctioneer.  The Shoot is already sold out, so we are well on our way and have set  £55,000 as an ambitious target to  beat!

If anyone  would like to offer attractive auction prizes for Lord Archer to sell off, we’d be delighted to hear from you with your ideas.

 

Carrots NightWalk 2014

BUS is delighted to announce that we are once again a partner charity involved in the Fight for Sight Carrots NightWalks. These fun night-time sponsored walks are helping to raise thousands of pounds for research to prevent sight loss and to treat eye disease. Fight for Sight small grants awards have already benefited birdshot research. Continue reading

Forthcoming dates for your diary

Following on from the success of last year’s birdshot events, in 2014 BUS has decided to hold:

  • two social events which will also incorporate talks about the research that BUS is helping to fund
  • a fundraising clay pigeon shoot, and
  • we will also be entering a team of walkers for the Fight for Sight Carrots Nightwalk

London social meetings and talks

The London social meetings and talks co-incide with bank holiday weekends. We hope this will make it easier to attend if you don’t live in the south east. The socials will provide an opportunity to socialise with other birdshotters and a chance to learn more about our birdshot uveitis research.   The meetings will be held in the delightful environment of a historic Thames barge located in St Katherine’s Dock. As before, a buffet lunch and drink will be provided.

  • Saturday 3rd May 2014 London social meeting with Professor Glen Jeffery from UCL and the Institute of Ophthalmology talking about the red light therapy research being carried out at Moorfields Eye Hospital.
  • Saturday 23rd August 2014 with Dr Graham Wallace from Birmingham University talking about the development of the birdshot bio-resource centre and national birdshot database.

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Fundraisers

  • 2nd birdshot shoot and auction on Wednesday 21st May 2014.   The venue (Royal Berkshire Shooting Club)  and cost of tickets will be identical to last year.  If you are interested in taking part as an individual or entering as a team, (4 guns), please register your interest now, because places are already going fast.
  • Carrot’s Night Walk – BUS will again be entering a team of walkers for the Fight for Sight Carrots Night walk.  The date and details have yet to be confirmed, but it will be on a Friday night in September.

If you are interested in coming along to the socials/talks, or taking part in the fundraising events please do get in touch and make a note in your diaries.  Email: info at birdshot.org.uk