I am raising money for Salisbury District Hospital and the Athenaeum Singers in Warminster. Here's why....
Four years ago, I took up paramotoring which is powered paragliding and the most basic form of powered flight in existence. No runways or tarmac; just a breeze in the face, some grass, and a bit of running to get into the air.
A year ago, I had a messy mishap, the thumb and two fingers of my right hand getting into the propeller when on the ground. They were MAGNIFICENTLY tidied up, one finger in particular being completely rebuilt. This was done in Salisbury District Hospital.
The rehabilitation effort by the plastics team, and then Wessex Rehab, in the hospital – populated by wonderful professional people - was beyond excellent. I was back in the air in six months.
I am launching a fundraising effort in two parts:
- with a target of £5000 for the Salisbury District Hospital. (see justgiving.com/crowdfunding/charles-style-SDH).
This will allow the purchase of Specialist assessment equipment for both adults and children to help monitor recovery and enable improved therapy treatment planning. Also, engaging, fun and distracting games and therapy equipment to help support young children in the department, on their recovery route from traumatic injuries.
- with a target of £2000 for the Athenaeum Singers in Warminster (see justgiving.com/crowdfunding/charles-style-2-AthenaeumSingers) which is a charity and with which I have sung for two years.
The Athenaeum Singers is an innovative volunteer choir which performs a broad range of mainly classical works, is dependent on subscription and donation, and is developing an outreach programme to engage with wider audiences and younger performers. This choir sings twice a year in the Minster; under its new director it is rapidly upping its game with a broadening repertoire.
What I plan to do. In May 2019, I intend to fly from Warminster to Scotland by paramotor. My planned route is about 360 miles in length. Since I fly though the air at 25mph, and drop out of the sky after 2 hours when the fuel runs out, I plan to make a series of two hour hops, landing en route where people have offered fields, or at small airfields. Light wind from the SW will help; so I’ll choose my moment. It’s not an unprecedented length of flight, but I’m probably – at 65 – older than most who have done something like this!
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My planned route is Warminster to the NE, passing S and then E of Leicester, and then up the eastern edge of the Pennines and the Cheviots, to a field in the SE of Scotland just north of Berwick-on-Tweed. I will photograph and film the trip; so there should be plenty of evidence. And I will report progress here on this blog!
Please support these causes in whatever way you can. They (and I) will appreciate every penny.