If you are in need for some inspiration for your fundraising event, have a look at the amazing success stories below.
Brighton Marathon
A sunny but chilly day greeted seven of our keenest supporters on Sunday 15th April when they took to the streets of Brighton, bravely competing in the 2012 Brighton Marathon. This fantastic London alternative, now in its third successful year, saw 12,000 runners pound their way around Brighton taking in the panoramic views of the coast where the South Downs meet the English Channel. With a mix of town centre bustle stretching out as far as the docks, ending with the buzz of the famous Brighton Pier, it was a real test of endurance for Team SPANA.
Our runners, wearing all-new SPANA running vest livery, triumphed on the day with all seven completing the course in very good time! Jack McLaren whizzed round in an eye-popping 3hrs 31 mins, Joanna Vousden in a staggering 4hrs 10mins and in third place Ian Gallagher with a foot-tastic time of 4hrs 19mins! (Full race times listed below).
Jack McLaren 03:31:05
Joanna Vousden 04:10:46
Ian Gallagher 04:19:46
Laura Taylor 04:40:33
Holli Burgess 04:41:55
Stuart Wallis 04:49:27
Niki Kane 05:19:28
We have to say a huge thank you to our dedicated Team SPANA runners who trained so hard for this event raising thousands for the working animals of the world! To take part in the 2013 Brighton Marathon for SPANA email events@spana.org
‘Sewing for SPANA’,2011
In September 2011, a group of Singaporean school children, inspired by the work of SPANA, chose to highlight the importance of the working animals of the world. Led and inspired by English teacher Lisa Ong Siok Cheng and E B White’s Charlotte’s Web, the Singapore Sports School launched the ‘Sewing for SPANA’ project. Their project aimed to show that, just as Charlotte the spider could spin words in a web to save a life, so can all use our own skills to honour working animals and raise funds for better welfare, education and veterinary care.
The project lasted over four months and involved over a hundred pupils stitching together donkey-shaped felt brooches. Knowing that their arts and craft skills would raise awareness, and funds to help alleviate the daily burden of working animals, the fundraiser became a cathartic experience. Their teacher commented, “I’d like to think that the children are being healed as they reach out to help others.”
2011 SPANA Roadshow and Big Fun Run
This year our SPANA Roadshow travelled the country, spreading awareness about our work for working animals worldwide. Visiting three cities in the UK – Liverpool, Cardiff and Edinburgh – it was a great opportunity to meet loyal supporters face-to-face, treat them to a presentation of our work and share ideas about how we can all make a difference. Street collections, buckets in hand, and 5km ‘Big Fun Runs’ became a feature of our Roadshow events. Meeting supporters and new-comers was lots of fun.
It was late October in Edinburgh when a real success story came to light. We had travelled far and were met with such enthusiasm that weekend. The entire Laing family – Jamie, Lorraine and their three wonderful children Emerson, Romilly and Rowan were so keen to take part on behalf of supporter Evelyn Mill. Emerson was the fastest runner finishing the Big Fun Run in a super-quick time of 29 minutes. Between them, they’ve raised a staggering £575 in sponsorship – a SPANA record for an event of this type! Congratulations and a very big thank you!
We hope 2012 brings Big Fun and more for the working animals of the world.
2011 Virgin London Marathon
Congratulations to SPANA’s Veterinary Directory, Andy Stringer, on his amazing achievements at the 2011 Virgin London Marathon. Andy took on the grueling 26.2 mile course, wearing SPANA’s 17kg donkey costume. He crossed the finish line victoriously after 9 hours 23 minutes!
It’s the third year in a row that SPANA’s amazing donkey costumes have hit the streets of London for the marathon, raising awareness for the plight of working animals and also invaluable funds for our cause.
Andy has already raised over £1,500, if you would like to support him, please visit www.justgiving.com/andy-spanamarathon.
Horse power CPD
SPANA’s former Chairman, Derek Knottenbelt took on a massive challenge this summer, raising money for SPANA’s Disabled Riding Centre in Mali. The challenge named Horsepower CPD, involved ten British Equine Vets, ten motorbikes, seven British Vet Schools and seven days.
The vet travelled far and wide and delivered free talks on equine health care at the Vet Schools and made an amazing £60,000 for SPANA. The donations were split between the British Equine Veterinary Trust and SPANA’s Disabled Riding Centre in Bamako, Mali.
This money will go such a long way in Mali where the simplest of things can make the biggest of differences to severely disabled children. The centre gives children the opportunity not just to interact with animals but also develop physically under the guidance of a qualified physiotherapist, and emotionally as they interact with each other and play with toys that they don’t have any access to at home.
Huge congratulations to Derek and the rest of the motorbiking vets for this wonderful achievement.
Racing donkeys
On 26th April 2009 three SPANA donkeys successfully completed the London Marathon! Apart from a few nasty blisters, Jeremy, Simon and Peter were doing fine.
Completing the marathon wearing the heavy costumes is a very graphic reminder of the enormous burdens that working animals have to carry every day of their lives, and the distances they have to carry them.
Many donkeys and mules have to complete a marathon every day - our team had to do it just once!
And if this wasn't hard work enough, Simon threw himself into the costume another time! This time to tackle the BUPA 10k on 25th May, together with colleague Aaron. Again they were able to raise lots of awareness and valuable funds for our work.
Be sure to watch this space, as this certainly won't be the last time our racing donkeys take to the streets!
Inspired? Why not take part in a running event and help working animals at the same time? Have a look at upcoming running events.
A different trip to Marrakech
Patrick Sells, a qualified vet from Liverpool University raised over £10,000 for his 3,100 mile motorbike ride from Liverppool to Marrakech.
After 11 days and an incredibly tough journey that took Patrick and his bike through the black ice of the Pyrenees, he also volunteered for SPANA in Morocco and completed a study into harness-induced injuries in horses.
He said of his trip, “I threw myself into the work, finding it hugely rewarding. It has been a superb learning curve from a veterinary perspective, and a life experience I shall never forget. The ethos of the charity concentrates not only on treatment but also on prevention. Inside the SPANA refuge I found a white washed haven, a tranquil space in the mad busy city, where injured and sick working animals are given free veterinary treatment, and a chance to rest.”
Thank you Patrick for your bravery and your invaluable support!
A Donkey Quiz Night
Huge thanks and congratulations go to Sandra and Graham Witherick who recently raised a whopping £618 by holding a SPANA Quiz Night at their local village hall.
Despite the appalling weather conditions on the evening of Friday 6th February, the High Ongar Village Hall was filled to capacity. Every detail of the event was carefully considered; the teams were named after famous horses and donkeys and there was even a Donkey themed round in addition to the usual subjects like Sport and Literature.
The evening had a wonderful atmosphere with much laughter and good humoured rivalry between the teams.
Sandra said, “From designing and selling the tickets to the final locking of the hall door, it was a truly enormous effort, but well worth it if we can prevent the suffering of a few donkeys and other working animals.”
What a fantastic way of raising some much-needed funds for SPANA’s work!
