A very different charity event took place on April 4th-5th, to help raise funds for The Magic Wand Appeal and Soldiers Off The Streets.
The Army Training Regiment Winchester (ATRW) approached Sainsbury's for support in them raising funds and awareness for the two charities as the ATRW charity committee spent 24 hours outside the front of the Badger Farm store taking part in a "Phys-A-Thon".
The event consisted of 9 members performing physical activity over a 24hr period in the form of a treadmill, static bicycle and rowing machine. The end state was for the members to have completed the equivalent of: 5 running marathons (131 miles), stages 1, 2, 3 & 4 of the Tour De France (333 miles) and the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry boarding (126 miles).
During all this activity the members highlighted the needs and importance of the two charities and had the opportunity to collect donations from shoppers and local residents to go to the charities. At the end of the weekend, they had raised a total of £1051.68.
The Magic Wand Appeal is raising funds to improve facilities and the environment in the children's unit at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester (part of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust). Their first aim is to give children and their family the best experience possible in hospital, by improving and updating the existing facilities to create a better environment.
Soldiers Off The Streets is a registered charity with a dedicated group of people determined to help the forgotten ex-service personnel whose lives have been affected by homelessness after going through the traumatic experience of war in far off lands. The charity's objects are the relief of charitable need of homeless ex-service personnel, in particular but not exclusively by the provision of clothing, food and rehabilitation, including advice on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, alcoholism, drug abuse, housing and employment.