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Around Britain Newsletter #9

Details: Created on Wednesday, 16 May 2012 19:48

A busy week with the End to End trip on hold, I've been planning new routes for the Around Britain trip, I've also started contacting the councils about registering for a Street Collection licenses, I'll need to do more than 130 of these!

Some shocking news in the last 24 hours - there is talk of getting rid or amalgamating my old Regiment, 1st The Queens Dragoon Guards, this is the only Welsh armoured regiment left, if you would like to help try and save the future of the Regiment please Sign the petition. I've spent most of the day emailing Welsh Assembly Members about the plight of the Regiment, most are supportive and are trying to find out what is going on, A big thank you to them.

I've also been uploading all the high resolution maps and License applications, these can be seen in the Download section. There may be a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel with the batteries... Hopefully as I've started the planning for the Eurotunnel run.

End to End update #8

Details: Created on Monday, 07 May 2012 19:38

It is with great embarrassment that I have to put of the Land's End to John O'Groats and Back Again until at least mid-June, tomorrow is the latest I could have left and be back in time for hospital appointments that I had already postponed due to the run.

I have still heard nothing about when the batteries will be ready though rest assured I will complete the journey as soon as I can, in the meantime those of you who have donated please let me know if you would like me to return your money, I'm more than happy to.

I would like to say a big thank you to those companies and individuals that have put a lot of work in to helping organise this trip and very big sorry to the Devon Branch of SSAFA that was supposed to tie the Falklands anniversary in to me travelling through the county.

Three Counties Radio phoned about doing an interview this afternoon and had to disappoint them due to the delay, they will hopefully try again when I eventually set off.

I need to let the press, councils and police forces that the run is now delayed even further.

Again, as soon as I know more I'll let you all know, in the meantime I'll continue the planning for the Around Britain trip.

Thank you

Mark

End to End update #7

Details: Created on Sunday, 29 April 2012 14:21

A quick update - I should have set off yesterday morning but the delay on the batteries for the scooter looks like it was a blessing in disguise with the way the weather has been the last couple of days!

I went out this morning in the wind and the rain - no comments please... and to give you a flavour of what I was up against there is some video below (if you are reading this in an email you will need to go to the website to view it).

On a normal day going along the sea front would use about 16 amps of power on average, this morning I was using 45-55 amps, there are also trees and large branches down everywhere.

I've not had a date for the batteries yet but all the councils have been informed there is a delay and they will try and accommodate me with new licenses. As soon as I hear anything I'll let you all know.

End to End and Around Britain update #6

Details: Created on Friday, 13 April 2012 20:11

Fully loaded scooter excluding the fat controller ;-) I have finally managed to find an online donation service that can run multiple charities in one go - VirginMoneyGiving, this is now setup ready my Around Britain trip, http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/aroundbritain.

I hope to have the new batteries in the next week or so, I'll need Beamer to fit and configure them before heading down to Cornwall. I'm booked in at a Sennan Cove campsite a couple of days before setting off, I can have a little explore of an area that I've never been to before.

I did a full test today of the all the kit on the scooter today, all seemed to go well, I think the only thing I'll change is where the tools are carried.

I was interviewed on Thursday morning by British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) on the breakfast show. A recording is below.

I've had all the clothing back from MaKz.co.uk with the logos printed on them ready for the trip, hopefully all the companies are happy with the result.

A bit of a spanner in the works this morning (Monday) with news that there may be a delay on the batteries, this means I'll have to delay the start of the challenge, it also means I'll have change all the accomodation and make sure the new dates are ok and don't lose some of the deposits I've paid, not ideal but it can't be helped.

Hopefully I'll have some good news in the next couple of days...

End to End update #5

Details: Created on Wednesday, 04 April 2012 21:56

No Around Britain update this time due to End to End and Back and Again is the priority.

As you will have noticed it is the thirtieth aniversary of the Falklands, this had a major influence on me joing the Army, perhaps I should do a tour of the Falklands on my scooter...

Lots of things are now starting to come together thank goodness, I've started emailing campsites etc to sort out places to stay if nothing else comes up, it means I'll have to carry more kit! I thought at one stage I'd have to use the stripped down trailer from my Round Wales trip, it looks a lot less likely now. I suspect it would have put the world record in jeopardy!

Liscombe have sent through even more kit for the trips, it is advised that sunglasses are worn when I'm in the area as I'm so bright! All the kit clothing needed for this trip is now at the embroiders for the logos to be put on.

Le Mark have sent me extra Gaffer Tape holders so that I can carry rolled up kit and clip it on anywhere, virtually everything is held on by these gaffer tape holders.

The official collection boxes and leaflets have arrived from SSAFA today which is a blessing as I've been collecting in a old one with 'SSAFA End to End' scribbled on it, even so I banked £47.90 today for SSAFA. I've also had my new phone arrive that will enable the live tracking of me, well my phone anyway. In the next week or so I'll hopefully have the details of how this will work.

The first of the raio interviews has been booked for the 19th April with BFBS Radio.

End to End and Around Britain update #4

Details: Created on Saturday, 24 March 2012 20:32

Scooter sign Hansign Graphics have kindly made the sign board for the rear of the scooter so that people can see me when approaching from the rear and also to show why I'm doing it.

The high-vis tape is courtesy of Le Mark and proved invaluable on my Round Wales trip, they have also sent me some other bits and pieces including gaffer tape holders which have proved absolutely brilliant for holding a set of the panniers in place, these are great as they come with adjustable clip for holding rolled up kit. and clipping it on to the scooter, I'll have to see if I can get some more .

I've had to find storage solutions now as the support vehicle has dropped out and have managed to get hold of 2 waterproof pushbike panniers which should hopefully keep everything dry!

The weather here has been wonderful this week and it's looking pretty good for the Easter week, I'm finding I don't have enough power in the day!

Some of the Personal Protection Equipment, or should it be keep me seen and dry, has arrived today from Liscombe and have sorted out what will need to go on this trip. I want to get the printing and embroidery done in the next couple of weeks at a small family firm in Port Tennent called Makz, they have just updated the jacket that Liscombe sent me last year with the Record attempt and the End to End Challenge. I'm still waiting for text and images from some places, could you let me have them as soon as you can please?

Places to stay

I still need to find some places to stay and recharge the scooter, if you know of anyone that can help there is a list at the 'Places to stay' page on the website. All I need is a settee or quiet corner so that I can update the blog and get forty winks.

Some places arranged by SSAFA have been tentatively booked but need to be confirmed, if these can be chased up that would be brilliant.

Places to avoid

Fife Council and BEAR Scotland have asked me to make some changes to the route either side of the Forth Road bridge due to major roadworks that are going on. If you know of any bits that may need to be avoided could you let me know.

Around Britain

The planning for the Around Britain Challenge is a bit slow at the moment with everything being put into the End to End trip, I'm still busy mapping Shetland and have got as far as Yell. I'm really looking forward to the Scotland leg as other than a fleeting visit for a medical examination on my leg I haven't been their since I was a nipper. The trip will also be a bit of a self indulgence as some of you know I love seeing the wildlife, add to that the spectacular British scenery well what more could a man ask for...

I told that about 30 people a day set of from Land's End and I won't be the first to do it on a mobility scooter, hopefully I'll be the fastest! Thank you to everyone who has helped make this trip a reality for myself and SSAFA.