than 30, who put the show on the road, and all the super food which went down really well. No bun (pun) intended. My original intention was to provide food as an attraction for people to come back for the raffle, but Chris Matthews persuaded me we should sell it. What a good shout that was, as it raised over £200, and the food and raffle combined brought in £400. There is still a little money to come in, but after some small expenses, we will have raised over £1900. Not bad considering we only had around 35 entries with two weeks to go.


Thank you all who ran and helped, as you have all contributed to what will hopefully be a major turning point in Ben’s life. There are also thanks due to Anna Warin, who did lots of voluntary work in the background getting media coverage in the T&A and other papers, and who also was responsible for obtaining many of the super raffle prizes we had from local businesses. She was hoping to do the run, but unfortunately was unable due to illness. You may have read the original target of £45,000, to get Ben over to the USA has now been reached, which is great news, but it gets better, because it has gone well


beyond that so now Ben can have some additional treatment to his heels and hamstrings, which costs an additional £12,000. It was hoped he could have this in 12 months when he goes back in 2012, but now he does not have to wait. The additional target was really the bare minimum to get Ben the treatment he needs now, but what it did not take account of was the many other associated costs, like different wheelchair, treadmill for recuperation, more physio etc. now catered for.


Ben travels to the US on the 1st January 2011 and has his first operation on the 6th January and will be over there for almost 5 weeks. Just so you can understand what a super lad you have helped I will finish off with a quote from Ben, who said to his mum Charlotte, “I don’t suppose I will get much for Christmas this year, will I, because my operation is my main present”. Charlotte asked me to thank everybody who ran, provided food, helped organise, set up, clear up, marshalled, dealt with entries, results and that great catering, and I of course echo those thanks. Good luck to Ben with his operation.


Neil Chapman, Race Organiser


ILKLEY HARRIERS NEWSLETTER • NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2010


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