508 days ago
The final Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks trek has ended. About a mile and a half before the finish, Dr Sam, Steve Moore and reader Nick from Islington caught the old geezers bar Andrew Bell who had wandered into a pub to emerge at Woodlarks a bit later in a taxi. The remaining walkers now in increasing pain, especially me, somehow managed the last bit which really is 90% uphill and met up with heroic Woodlarks supremo Nick Richards, posed for a group photo and headed up the drive to an enthusiastic reception from campers and carers. That always warms my heart and it is that reception I try to think about in those last painful miles. We have now raised, with gift aid, more than £27,000 so thanks to you all. If you have so far forgotten to give you can still donate HERE.
521 days ago
The final Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks trek has ended. You can see the photos starting from 4.15 AM yesterday over on ShareProphets HERE. They are all ex paywall. But as a taster these are the last 1.5 miles….
690 days ago
Sarah, the Mrs of Nick Richards, who is also a stalwart of Woodlarks, has written to you all with a few photos of what you funded. Over to her…
691 days ago
I asked you for £3,000 to fund the Woodlarks Christmas Grotto appeal a week ago. Today we have reached our target with gift aid on top. I have asked Darren to close the page when he wakes up in the socialist hell hole that is Canada (no sniggering at the back) so no more money please. Treat yourself to an extra bottle of ouzo this Christmas. On behalf of Nick Richards, his charming Mrs Sarah and all the team at Woodlarks, we are very grateful for your generosity. Thank you all.
894 days ago
We crossed the line at 9.15, where heroic Nick Richards was on hand to meet us. Job done – thank you for all the donations. If you are yet to donate, please do so now. Now, for some elderflower champagne.
894 days ago
The next target is lunch, which is 3 miles away. We are, I calculate, on track to catch Brian Basham at c. 3 pm. My fellow rogue bloggers, even the hungover Lucian Miers and reader, N, who has an incredibly heavy backpack, are in fine form. I am not. Something isn’t right, and I am just taking on more liquids at this stage. I have confessed to Nick Richards that, for the first time, I may not make it to the finish line this year. Nevertheless, I am focused on the next three miles, which take us just past halfway. Master Miers, a barking-mad commie, is keeping at the back to help me along, entertaining me with his bonkers worldview. He makes our in-house Euro loon, Jonathan Price, seem rather sane. Think of my suffering, as Master Miers explains why rich people’s houses should be nationalised, and donate to Woodlarks HERE.
1305 days ago
Talking of disgraces, 96% of listeners have yet to donate to Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks, please do so today HERE. I have a message from Nick Richards for the 4% who have been generous. The stockmarket disgraces I cover are the fraud Zoetic (ZOE), Anemoi (AMOI) and Abingdon Heath (ABDX) – where there really must be a Steward’s on its Christmas IPO, which I panned at the time. I also look at Scotgold (SGZ) and discuss why Andrew Monk called SUPP/WPCT so badly wrong.
1453 days ago
I asked you to help raise £3500 for the Woodlarks Christmas Grotto appeal. You have been most generous. As you can see here, we have raised £5,185.15, with Gift aid £5,807.89. You have been most generous and myself and Nick Richards from Woodlarks would like to thank each and every one of you who chipped in. You are heroes. And I promise that, other than an en passant mention in Bearcast later, I shall not mention Woodlarks again until Christmas. Nick says that the extra cash will go to even better presents for the online Grotto. Once again, I thank you.
1456 days ago
I know that readers of this website have given so much to Woodlarks over the years. This summer the Rogue Bloggers walk saw us raise enough to ensure that this amazing charity will not go bust despite the lockdown which has been a disaster for it. Activities are still massively constrained and the Christmas Grotto which brings unbelievable pleasure to 200 severely handicapped or very ill kids each year will have to be a virtual one this year. But it will still cost a few quid…
1624 days ago
The following video is self explanatory. Please find a minute or two to watch it and then, if you have not already given, to donate to Woodlarks as I walk for 33.3 miles in the Welsh rain today. You can donate HERE
1845 days ago
Plans are already underway for our main fund raising event for Woodlarks each year, the 33 mile Rogue Bloggers walk in the summer. The fourth walk is going to be on a different, 1 mile longer, route than the first three and takes place on June 13 2020 and I will be badgering everyone I know to ensure that we raised even more than the £50,000 we raised in 2019. But that badgering can wait. For now, Christmas looms…
2165 days ago
Many thanks to you all for responding to this appeal. Once again, ShareProphets readers allowed Nick Richards and his team to turn the Woodlarks campsite into a magical Christmas paradise where 200 handicapped kids came to meet Santa and get a really high quality present. Once again your generosity changes lives and I thank you.
We can't show the kids in the photos but we can show you what Nick created. If this warms your heart please think about giving a few pence to our big annual appeal, the rogue bloggers walk on May 25 which you can read about here
2232 days ago
Once again I ask you for a small Christmas donation for Woodlarks. Every year our hero Nick Richards (below) and a team of volunteers build a special Santa's grotto at the Woodlarks campsite. Last year we had over 200 children from special needs schools and children’s hospices visit the site for a great day out which culminated in each getting a present from Santa. we aim to do the same again (or more) in 2018. But, as you know, Woodlarks has very little cash and this costs about £2,500 to put on. So...
I have told that if needs be I will ask a friend to come out of retirement and rob a bank to ensure Woodlarks has the cash. But it would be better still if, as last year, readers made a small donation. I will keep asking until we hit the target so please help us to get there and donate now HERE
2567 days ago
This is the time olf year when I ask you to consider making a small donation to ensure that folks far less fortunate than we all are enjoy some real joy this Christmas. Woodlarks is a charity with whom I have worked for years. It provides a one-off service: full holiday acccomodation for those so severely disabled that they would otherwise not get such a break.
2913 days ago
On my way to Heathrow I stopped off at the Woodlarks campsite in Surrey a place where I have had an involvement since the birth of my daughter Olaf almost sixteen years ago, as I explained HERE. This site provides holidays for folks who are severely disabled and who would otherwise not get any sort of break. It is not a fashionable charity but it is one I have supported financially and which readers have supported over many years. To all those who have donated both to the Christmas festivities for 181 kids and also to the ongoing work here is the proof that your cash has made a difference.
2913 days ago
Those who have been reading my scribblings for long enough will remember that my daughter was born weighing just 1lb 4oz at 26 weeks. that was almost sixteen years ago. It was three months before UCH said that it was "when" she came home not "if" and even then we were warned there could be all sorts of problems.
2956 days ago
If you read nothing else on this fine website this year please read this article. Woodlarks is a charity I have backed for years since its amazing driving force Nick Richards contacted me 15 years ago. It is a totally unfashionable charity not a well funded luvvie endorsed body. We have just donated £250 to transform someone's Christmas at Woodlarks. Can you spare a few quid?
