Jim Dooley, Director of Fundraising, and Dame Kelly Holmes at the Bomber Command Memorial Construction Site in Green Park; Dame Kelly Holmes standing at the end of the East Wing of the Memorial.
London 2012 is ringing in our ears here in the UK, with 200 days to go to the start of the Olympics and daily pieces in the news about plans for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics/Paralympics. Right in the middle of all that activity we are planning the Dedication and Unveiling of the Bomber Command Memorial. Letters are going out this week to Bomber Command Association members, as we try to ascertain how many members are hoping to attend on the day. Please look out for this letter as we need returns from BCA members by the end of the month.
The year kicked off in style, with the launch of the Eco Activities ‘Forces Charity Challenge’. Gold medal winning Olympic champion, Dame Kelly Holmes, visited the site to see progress on the Memorial and give her support to the Forces Charity Challenge which aims to encourage fundraising for Forces’ Charities. The event, which includes physical and mental challenges, will take place in the beautiful Sierra de las Nieves in Southern Spain. Each week, for 12 weeks, 36 teams of four will compete in this four day, three nights, two sets of challenges event that combines brain and brawn. The winning team will collect £25,000 for their charity with an additional prize of £5,000 for the team that raises the most sponsorship. The challenge is open to anyone – individuals, clubs, corporates etc - wanting to raise money for any of the Forces’ Charities who support our serving and ex-service men and women.
Although Bee Gee Robin Gibb couldn’t be there on the day, he sent a message of support to us on the day via Jim Dooley, Director of Fundraising for the Memorial. And Jim is keen that anyone out there wanting to fundraise for the Memorial takes up the Challenge; he said: ‘Charities across the UK are all desperately trying to raise money but they are all doing the same things. We think this challenge is a fantastic way to raise large sums for charities - and provide participants with a lot of fun!’. More information is available at www.ecoactivities.co.uk.