So What Do Teachers Do On Weekends?


WELL apart from ‘normal’ things like shopping, gardening, having a social life and maybe even doing some school work, quite a few of us take part in fundraising events for charity.


We all have our personal passions or interests. Mr. Cootes, and Ms. Simmonds have recently run marathons, Mr. Winter has engaged in a fitness event and a number of staff are dancing for charity ‘Free to Dance’.


My passion is motorcycle riding, and I’ll find any excuse to ride one of my collection of four bikes.


SlobMobs Go Mob Handed For Mencap


In June two friends and I took part in


the National Road Rally 2012 - a motorcycling endurance and navigation challenge running from 2.00pm on Saturday 30th to no earlier than 7.00am and no later than 9.30am on Sunday 1st July.


Our purpose was to raise money for Mencap, a charity which helps those with serious learning difficulties.


We had to navigate our way around England via 19 control stops (whose locations are a closely guarded secret until the last minute), to check in and move on to ultimately complete a minimum of 450 miles.


After 18 hours on the road, having ridden through the night, seen sunset in Derbyshire, and sunrise in Lincolnshire, we arrived at the Ace Café near Wembley at 8.10 am on the Sunday.


Worthwhile Lifetime Memory


Meticulous planning, satellite technology, and determination meant we didn’t run out of fuel, found time for a couple of rest breaks, didn’t get stopped for speeding and stayed within the competition rules. We even plotted the predicted weather conditions at each location, and got them right; like getting proper wet in Worcester.


It was exhausting but worth it, as we burnt over 50 ltrs of fuel, eating far too much junk on the way. And I’m sure Vimto used to taste better.. But the scenery, the brilliant twisty roads, the windswept motorways, cliff-hanging corners, gravel tracks and the SHEEP, on a great bike made this fundraiser a worthwhile lifetime memory.


We met great people who stayed all night to keep us going with tea and stuff at the check points, and I slept like a baby all day on Sunday! I’ve been in zombie-land since.


We won the Gold Standard Award for doing an official mileage of 510.


And the charity money? Our target was £1000. We’ve raised £875 so far,


with gift aid of £1078.75 – so still need £125. There’s still time if you might like to add to it…..


http://uk.virginmoneygiving. com/SwitzysSponsors


I’ve got my other bikes to exercise... Guess what I’m doing in the summer?


Jonathan Switzman


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