Dungeness to Boulogne...

 Way to go!

I reported about Mark and Jason undertaking a kayak 'marathon' across the Channel from Dungeness to Boulogne the other day (blog), in aid of raising money for local lass Elsie-Rose, and for the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation.

These photographs were taken on Wednesday from Will's support boat, many thanks for sharing them... It looks nice and gentle, but unsurprisingly they were both pretty tired by the finish, and I have to say that some of the boats they passed by in the shipping lanes look frighteningly large!

Not far now, well done lads!

If you want to know more about Elsie-Rose, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation or SMA Type 1, you can refer to the blog mentioned above, or go to her mother's guest blog posted here a couple of months ago, my respect to all. 👍

Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation

Elsie-Rose


Recently I've been writing a number of reports about events that have centred around Mark Little, his kayak adventure (to be continued in approximately 10 days time!), and raising money for the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation (Crowdfunding).

Young local character Elsie-Rose, and this 4 year-old local lass certainly is a great character, was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 in September 2014, a condition that causes severe muscle weakness and results in problems with movement, eating, breathing and swallowing. Without intervention, sadly, most children with SMA Type 1 die within the first 2 years of life. However, the cheerful and resilient Elsie-Rose strives to carry on enjoying life just like any other 4 year-old child, despite all the complications she just keeps on smiling!

Elsie-Rose angling recently

Because many of the expenses encountered supporting children with SMA Type 1 are not provided for by the NHS, Social Services or the Department of Health, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation was set up to support families with disabled, sick and terminally ill children. Indeed, my respect and warm regards go out to Elsie-Rose's mother, family and friends, and Elsie-Rose herself, and how they cope with the myriad of complications involved in their lives.

If you would like to know more about Elsie-Rose and the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation, and campaigns they are involved in, please go to their facebook page or twitter page. If you would like more information about Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 please go to the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Support UK website.

Turned Away by the French!

OK, not quite the "NON!" of  de Gaulle, and you have to be of a certain age to know what I'm talking about 😉 but Mark & company were stopped from crossing into French waters (two-thirds of the way across!) because, well, you can't really be upset, it was for their own safety... Thick fog! Mark told me he could hardly see his hand in front of him, and those bigger ships in the shipping lanes are BIG! Anyway, good practice, Mark and Jason feel very confident (they were managing a great speed of 4 knots!) and they're going over again in a couple of weeks time. They'll make it, no doubt...

Watch this space!

Dungeness, next stop Boulogne, in aid of Elsie-Rose...

Elsie-Rose

This morning, about 05.15, Mark and Jason posing inside the Dolphin Inn, Rock-a-Nore Road, before leaving to undertake their Kayak Marathon in aid of the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation: see previous blog for more information.

We drove to Dungeness to meet them before they cross the Channel, Mark and Jason had come from Rye Harbour in the Support Boat (crew: Will and Keith); about 06.45.

Coming to their adoring public

Waving to their adoring public 

Off they go! 

Next Stop Boulogne; departed 06.55

By now they should be in the middle of the Channel, good luck to them!

Fund-raising/collecting pledges for this venture will carry on for the next couple of weeks, if you would like to contribute, go to Crowdfunding, or visit the Dolphin Inn and drop spare cash into the collection box please, many thanks!

The adoring public included Maureen, Louise, David, Maz, a fisherman we were standing by on the beach, and me 😉

Elsie-Rose & Friends: A Marathon in a Kayak!

Elsie-Rose

Well, it's getting very close now for Mark Little and his team, who will be undertaking the equivalent of a marathon, but using their arms rather than their legs, when they kayak across the English Channel from Dungeness to Boulogne this coming week, probably on Tuesday or Wednesday if the forecast stays true. As I've said before, this will be in support of Elsie-Rose and the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation. 

Local lass Elsie-Rose was diagnosed with Type I SMA in September 2014, a condition that causes severe muscle weakness, and results in problems moving, eating, breathing and swallowing. Without intervention, most children with Type I SMA die within the first 2 years of life, sadly, however, the cheerful and resilient Elsie-Rose strives to carry on and enjoy life just like any other young 4 year-old, despite fractured limbs and many other complications, and she keeps on smiling! 

Because many of the expenses involved in supporting children with Type I SMA are not provided by the Department of Health or NHS, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation was set up to help provide help and financial support to families with disabled, sick, and terminally ill children. After meeting Elsie-Rose and her family, Mark and his team decided to kayak across the English Channel with the aim of raising money for Elsie-Rose and the Foundation.

Mark Training

Before setting off to France, indeed, on this Monday coming (20th August), from 3.30 pm at the Dolphin Inn in Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings (opposite the fish market, fish huts and RX134 Stacey Marie Fishermen's Museum outdoor exhibit), there will be a charity raffle in support of this fundraising. 

Kayak IPA

In addition, 2 breweries have already contributed a firkin (72 pints) of ale each, and all the proceeds from their sale will go towards the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation (many thanks to Wantsum and Marsdens breweries), and with the likelihood of another 2 firkins in the metaphorical pipeline! Watch out for the pumpclip in the image above.

To make contributions towards supporting this brave young girl and others with similar problems, as many local people and businesses already have done, many thanks, please make a donation via Crowdfunding, or visit the Dolphin Inn and make a pledge to support this Kayak Marathon, or put something in the collection box on the bar please. Indeed, all contributions will be very gratefully received, many thanks!

If you wish to know more about Elsie-Rose, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation and their campaign, you can go to their facebook page or twitter page. If you would like more details about SMA Type 1, go to the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Support UK website. 

Good luck for Tuesday, and best wishes to Elsie-Rose, her family and friends!