Thank you

Salisbury locals donned their cycling shorts last Saturday to raise what looks likely to be more than £4,000 for JDRF

The Ride to Cure Diabetes event challenged 17 teams of five to push their bodies to the limit over eight-minute interval sprints on exercise bikes at the Old George Mall. 

JDRF challenged people in Salisbury to raise awareness and vital funds. JDRF was thrilled by the high uptake for the event, which attracted riders aged 12 and upwards. Some competitors had personal experience of type 1 diabetes, while others simply relished the competitive element of the event. 

2013 has seen the fifth series of bike-a-thons organised by JDRF, which are happening up and down the country at locations including London, Leeds, Bristol and Manchester.

The fastest team, The Bone Idols, a team of local orthopedic doctors, achieved a distance of 28,111 metres in 40 minutes. Robert Boyd, from The Bone Idols was crowned the ‘King of Ride’, covering 6,476 metres in eight minutes and Alex Taylor, from Girls Love Fit was crowned the ‘Queen of Ride’ with a distance of 5.304 metres.

Nicole Gerrard, JDRF’s Senior Fundraiser for Salisbury, said:

'We have been really excited about this year’s Ride to Cure Diabetes events and it was great to cheer on teams in Salisbury. Everyone who took part will be making a valuable contribution to our research, which aims to cure, treat and prevent this condition that has a life-long impact on those diagnosed with it and their families. We are entirely grateful to everyone who helped to make this happen and well done to everyone who took part this year - here’s to the next challenge!'

Ride to Cure Diabetes is part of JDRF’s wider Cycle to Cure Diabetes campaign, which encourages the public to raise money on two wheels for 2013. So, if you have been inspired by the likes of Olympians Bradley Wiggins, Victoria Pendleton and Sir Chris Hoy and want to hit the saddle, sign up today »

View photos from the event on Flickr »

A group of friends from London found an extreme way to have a final big hurrah before they head out to colleges all over America – they took on the Tough Mudder challenge, raising almost £11,000 for JDRF

Kyle Dartnell-Steinberg, Alfie Astor, Patrick Carmody, Mitch Lee and Jad Mourad, all from London, have been friends for most of the past decade. With college on the horizon, the boys wanted to take on a final challenge together, and decided to raise funds for JDRF as Kyle's 14-year-old sister Cara has type 1 diabetes.

The team of five tackled the Tough Mudder on 4 May 2013, running a twelve mile obstacle course through mud, icy water, 10,000 volts of electricity and fire. Despite some pretty serious cramps and a knee injury, they stuck together and crossed the finish line, shivering and smiling, as a team. 

Kyle said:

'No matter what we do in our lives, we will never forget the physical and mental challenges of the course. It took a lot of courage, resilience and pulling together to get to the end, but we are so proud to have completed it as a team, and to have raised almost £11,000 for JDRF so far.'

JDRF would like to thank the boys for fighting their way through the challenge and for their superb fundraising effort.

Friends Sylvie and Alejandra gathered second hand designer clothes and held a champagne sale at Alejandra's house in Twickenham in aid of JDRF. They then held a coffee morning event with the clothes left over for anyone who couldn't attend the first sale boosting their fundraising to almost £1,000. 

They chose to support JDRF because Alejandra's son Louis has type 1 diabetes. 

Thank you to both Sylvie and Alejandra for putting on a great event and raising a fabulous amount for JDRF!

The Sandcastle Nursery in High Wycombe were recently inspired by Mary Berry and decided to hold their own bake off in aid of JDRF. Taking place in Valentine’s day week, inspired staff members took time off their very busy schedules and indulged in some creative baking. With many tasty treats on offer, the cakes quickly sold out and we are pleased to say that Sandcastle Nursery raised a impressive £162.61

But who was the winner? Gailann Balcombe-Da Silva, whose son has type 1 diabetes and attends Sandcastle Nursey, was appointed as the judge of the bake off and awarded the winner with some chocolates and a heart shaped tea light.

JDRF would like to say a big thank you to Gail Ann and Sandcastle Nursery for choosing to support us. We are very sad however that we were not able to sample some of the very tasty cakes (pictured).

Raissa Whittaker-Standing and friends organised a concert on 21 March 2013 to raise money for JDRF. Guests were treated to 12 different songs which all featured a live band. Raissa, who is 16 years old, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2004.

JDRF would like to say a big thank you to Raissa and her friends for raising £150 for JDRF. We would also like to wish Raissa and her friend Miles Bateman the best of luck and they have both been accepted to the British Academy of New Music this year.

On 27 October 2013, Graham and Alison Penman will celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary while taking part in JDRF’s Climb One for Type One weekend on 25-27 October 2013. 

On that Sunday night they will toast not only their anniversary, but having completed their climb up Ben Nevis for JDRF to raise money to fund vital research to find the cure for type 1 diabetes. 

Graham and Alison’s granddaughter, seven year old Ellie (pictured), was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before her fifth birthday. 

In 2009, the Penman’s became involved with JDRF and participated in the annual Walk to Cure Diabetes Scotland while raising sponsorship. In 2012 they decided to take part again but felt like they also wanted to do something more, resulting in Graham completing the Walk wearing a morph suit and kilt! In total, they raised an amazing £1,000 from sponsorship for wearing the morph suit and taking part.

JDRF Scotland would like to say a huge thank you to both Graham and Alison Penman for taking part in the Walk to Cure Diabetes Scotland last year and for endeavoring on their biggest challenge yet for JDRF, Climb One for Type One, while also celebrating their anniversary.

Get involved

If you want to join the Penman's on their climb, or take part in a Walk to Cure Diabetes, click the links below to find out more:

Walk to Cure Diabetes, Shetland (third party event) »
2 June 2013 

Walk to Cure Diabetes Scotland - Aberdeen »
15 September 2013

Climb One for Type One »
26-27 October 2013 

Wondering how you could fundraise for JDRF? Katie Fairbairn, aged 10, and her family can show you the way!

In November 2010, aged just 8, Katie Fairbairn was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Just a year later in November 2011, Katie got her friends at school to 'Go Blue' for World Diabetes Day and made some delicious fairy cakes. She walked up and down the street of her home town selling them to passers by. Katie made £120.

Soon after, Katie’s parents Sandy and Marion asked JDRF to send them a collection tin which was positioned pride of place in their Spar shop. Since then every couple of months Sandy donates the collection from the tin to JDRF. It’s not always large amounts, but they keep on coming and building up!

In January 2012 Katie’s parents Sandy and Marion held a Burns Night supper. Friends and family brought neeps, tatties and tablet while Sandy and Marion caught the Haggis!

To date the family has raised a brilliant £716.10. All at JDRF want to say a big thank you to Katie, Sandy, Marion and all those who have helped them fundraise. 

If you have a local shop who would like to have a JDRF collection tin or you want to hold a fundraising event for JDRF just get in touch! You can email us at scotland@jdrf.org.uk or call on 01224 248677.

This April two friends from Cambridge will be taking on a rather unusual challenge of crossing India in an old battered tuk-tuk in just two weeks.

Friends Sri and Niko call themselves the Three Wheelies and will be departing from sunny Kochi, Kerala on 6 April 2013, and 14 days later they are due to arrive in the wettest region on earth – Shillong, Maghalaya. During this epic 4,000 km journey they will be crossing some of the most ancient, populous, culturally richest but also poorest regions of the world and experiencing India like few have done before.

The vehicle, a tuk-tuk or more formally known as an auto-rickshaw, is one of the most popular vehicles in India as it is cheap, compact and easily serviceable. However, it also very unreliable, prone to breakdown and offers virtually no protection to the driver or passenger!

 The Three Wheelies have said:

‘The tuktuk makes it one of the worst possible choice of vehicles for such a long and strenuous journey over less than ideal terrain, but we are very much looking forward to the challenge and adventure ahead!’

The Three Wheelies are raising money for the official charity of the event, Cool Earth, but also for JDRF as Niko is a research student involved in type 1 diabetes research at Cambridge University.

You can follow their progress via:

Facebook
www.facebook.com/ThreeWheelies

Twitter
@ThreeWheelies

If you wish to make a donation their JustGiving page is http://www.justgiving.com/three-wheelies-rickshaw-run

E.ON employees in the Midlands have raised a massive £930 for JDRF through a week of fundraising, culminating with a dress-down day, raffle and cake sale on Friday 22 February 2013.

The fundraising was organised by employee Darren Johnson, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was just 17 months old. Darren took his fundraising to the extreme and wore a blue morphsuit throughout the week to really draw attention to JDRF's work to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes. On Friday, many of his colleagues joined him and donned fancy dress and pyjamas (pictured). There was even a lion spotted at the company coffee machine, which is not something E.ON employees see every day!

Kelly-Anne Scotney was the lucky winner of the raffle and bagged herself an iPod touch, while Steven Payne won a signed photo of England footballer Danny Welbeck. 

Darren said:

'As I couldn't thank everyone on the day I'd like to do so now. In total we raised £930 between the events at Newstead and my wife collecting sponsorship. My son Jordan, who also has type 1 diabetes, would like to say how awesome everyone is for being so generous. Can I also give a big thank you to Rebecca Brown, Alexandra Starling and Joanne Ball for helping me get donations, Kyleigh North for supporting me in this event and finally for the kind donation of the iPod touch.'

JDRF Midlands would like to thank Darren and everyone involved at E.ON for their fantastic fundraising effort. The money raised will help JDRF support research to find the cure for type 1 diabetes.