Rory Delap - Charity Appeal

[frosty86]

[QPR Report Edited subject to add "Charity Appeal" ]


Hi, Stoke fan here! Firstly I would just like to say good luck for the season ahead!

Secondly, Rory Delap will be doing a charity bike ride for a local children's hospice in Stoke-on-Trent and I would like to ask you all if possible, if you could/would donate to help out a very worthy cause.
Details are below:


While most Premier League footballers are either at the World Cup or hitting the beach, Stoke City's Rory Delap will be setting off on a 174 mile coast to coast bike ride to raise money for a children's hospice in Stoke - on - Trent.
Stoke's most recognisable player will be getting into the saddle on Saturday 26 June in Whitehaven Docks, dipping his back wheel into the Irish sea, then setting of through the Lake District and heading towards Tynemouth.
The journey usually takes 3 or 4 days but Delap is aiming to complete it in two days and should be dipping his front wheel into the North Sea on Sunday evening.
The journey has been christened "Longthrow does the Longride 3" as it has become an annual event for the Potters midfielder. The Longthrow expert did the same journey in 2008, with 2009 seeing him complete a ride from Newcastle on Tyne to Edinburgh.
He and a team of 5 others are doing this ride to raise awareness and funds for the Donna Louise Children's Hospice Trust (www.donnalouisetrust.org/) which celebrated it's 10th. birthday last year.

However, the trust is still having to close it's doors on two nights a week as funding from charitable donations dry up due to the economic climate. (see bbc video story here news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7913385.stm)

If you can help recognise Rory's efforts through a charitable donation then it would be greatly appreciated. You can do this by visiting www.justgiving.com/RorysBigBikeRide where a minimum donation of £2 to this great cause can be made. You can also leave a message of around 150 characters, stating which club you support.
*Don't forget to give gift aid as well which costs you nothing more but gives a further 28% tax refund to the charity

Thanks in advance and any donations will be greatly appreciated!!

[Macmoish]

What a really serious act by a footballer. Not just giving an interview or lending his name. But "walking the walk" (so to speak)...Good luck

[scarletpimple]

Good luck to him, and stoke.

[Macmoish]

Stoke and Staffordshire - June 18, 2010
Stoke City star Rory takes part in third charity bike ride

STOKE City star Rory Delap is preparing to net the first hat-trick of his professional career by completing a third charity bike ride.

And the 33-year-old midfielder is calling for sponsors to support him on the 144-mile Sea-to-Sea Cycle Route challenge, which starts a week tomorrow.

Rory, along with five friends, will cycle from Whitehaven Docks in Cumbria to Tynemouth, near Newcastle upon Tyne.

He completed the route in 2008, spread out over three days.


But this time the group have set themselves the challenge of doing it in 48 hours.

Rory will donate money he raises along the route, and sponsorship cash, to The Donna Louise Children's Hospice, which provides care for children with terminal illnesses.

It is the third time in as many years Rory has completed a charity bike ride for the organisation.

He has already raised almost £500 through online donations for the Trentham Lakes-based charity.

And while he has not set himself a fund-raising target this time, Rory says he hopes to raise "as much money as possible" for the good cause.

He added: "We raised £10,000 last year, but money is tight at the minute and a lot of people will have donated for Tony's [Pulis] Kilimanjaro climb, so we'll be happy with whatever we manage to raise.

"Anything people can donate will be really appreciated, even if they just give £2 instead of having an extra pint down the pub, because every bit of money is crucial to a charity like The Donna Louise."

Rory said the ride was going to be a bit more difficult this time.

He added: "We are fitting three days' worth of riding into two, so we will have to go a little bit faster and have less breaks.

"The route is quite challenging because it's a mix of cycle paths, main roads and it's quite hilly in parts.

"I'm feeling in good shape for it and I'm ready for the challenge."

Rory and his teammates have been supporting the hospice for years, including visits at Christmas.

He added: "Whenever you come here the children are always happy and having fun and that is how life should be when you are young.

"I know the trust has had to make a few cuts to its services over the last couple of years, so I just want to raise as much as I can to make sure they can continue with the fantastic work they do.

"It doesn't matter how tough the bike ride gets because at the back of your mind you know it is for a brilliant cause."

Melanie Mills, the charity's head of fund-raising, said: "We are delighted that Rory is doing his third bike ride for us.

"Not only does the money go towards our annual running costs, having a Premier League footballer like Rory supporting the trust is a major help in raising our profile.

"We'll be keeping in touch with him along the route and wish him the very best and hope a lot of people will sponsor him."

Any businesses or organisations wishing to sponsor the ride should contact Rob Ledgar on 07876 144818

www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Delap-picks-harder-goal-help-charity/article-2321615-detail/article.html

[Lonegunmen]

Great cause, and I wish them well with it. Hmmmm payday this Wed, I should be able to donate a tenner to it.