This year the Montane Lakeland 100 competitors have raised in excess of £42,000.00 for Epic Kidz. The Lakeland 100 event has a huge and dedicated team of hard working volunteers and this year we have asked all of the checkpoint owners and checkpoint managers from the event to nominate a group or charity to receive an Epic Kidz donation. Over the coming few months we will be blogging about all the donations made to all the good causes nominated by the Lakeland 100 family.

Our next donation in the Lakeland 100 donation series has come from Heather & Andrew Naylor-Lopez, the farmers who let us use their barn in Wasdale to house the infamous Lakeland 100 Stroller Disco.  They nominated the Wasdale Head Show to receive their donation.

There has been a “Shepherds Meet” at Wasdale Head for over 100 years. It started off with farmers from Wasdale meeting farmers from the adjoining valleys to trade, swap and hire their Tips (Rams). After WW2 other activities were introduced with things like wresting and a fell race appearing on the calendar. Children’s sports were introduced in the 60s and with more trade stands starting to make an appearance, the shepherds meet became the Wasdale Head Show. What was then a simple gathering of farmers is now a great family day out, maintaining the traditions and history of the event but also offering something for everyone.

Epic Kidz have donated £500 to the Wasdale Head Show which went towards supporting the shows children’s sports section and also to support the 36 ladies who completed a triathlon on the day which finished at the show to raise money for breast cancer care. They all dressed in pink and cycled 20k from Seascale to Wastwater, kayaked Wastwater and then ran from there to the Show where they received a huge standing ovation.

You can read more about the show at http://www.wasdaleheadshow.co.uk

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#LakelandFamily

This year the Montane Lakeland 100 competitors have raised in excess of £42,000.00 for Epic Kidz. The Lakeland 100 event has a huge and dedicated team of hard working volunteers and this year we have asked all of the checkpoint owners and checkpoint managers from the event to nominate a group or charity to receive an Epic Kidz donation. Over the coming few months we will be blogging about all the donations made to all the good causes nominated by the Lakeland 100 family.

Our next donation in the Lakeland 100 donation series has come from Helen Minton who is responsible for the day to day running of the Ambleside Parish Centre where the circus themed checkpoint on the Lakeland 100 & 50 is based. Helen nominated a little voluntary family orientated group that started up in May and is based at the Parish Centre. The Family Drop In group is one of two community groups that provide social activities for pre-school children. The group is run by the mums with additional support from the church.

The groups weekly running costs are around £40 which covers refreshments, craft equipment and contributions towards room hire. The mums attending the group with their children all pay £1.50 towards the session but it is not sufficient to meet the overall running costs. The group are also in need of new equipment such as childrens chairs and tables as well as new childrens toys.

Epic Kidz have donated £500 to the Family Drop In group to help support their running costs so that they can keep the group going as well as giving them the opportunity to purchase the much needed equipment.

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They also need to buy equipment such as children’s chairs and tables, plus new toys

Your generous donation would go a long way to helping secure their future.

This year the Montane Lakeland 100 competitors have raised in excess of £42,000.00 for Epic Kidz. The Lakeland 100 event has a huge and dedicated team of hard working volunteers and this year we have asked all of the checkpoint owners and checkpoint managers from the event to nominate a group or charity to receive an Epic Kidz donation. Over the coming few months we will be blogging about all the donations made to all the good causes nominated by the Lakeland 100 family.

Our next donation in the series has come from Martin Bergerud, the manager of the small but picturesque ‘Petzl’ checkpoint located in Boot, on the Lakeland 100 course. Martin has chosen Keswick Athletics Club Juniors to receive his £500 donation.

Keswick AC Juniors was formed when local runners Angela Turnbull and Sarah Bennett were ‘complaining’ that there was no local running club aimed at children so that their children could meet others of similar ages and go running. They decided to ask a few of their friends if they wanted to meet up with their children, on the side of Latrigg, and go for a run. That was in May 2013 and the informal group has been growing ever since. The group was completely self funded, purchasing their own equipment etc. Word got around and Keswick Lions offered them some funding so that they could gain some official coaching qualificiations and shortly thereafter, along with a couple of other parents, they became affiliated with Keswick Athletics Club.

Keswick AC Juniors now have 40 regular children training with them all year round, whatever the weather. They also have half this number again on the waiting list.

The club regularly organise junior races throughout the season and have had some great results in the XC leagues but their biggest achievement as a club so far is inspiring so many youngsters to exercise, enjoy running and appreciate the fells. Not all their runners are racers and the club encourages anyone who wants to just enjoy being out running and being with other like minded children.

The £500 Epic Kidz donation will enable Keswick AC Juniors to get more parents trained up as coaches so as to allow more children to join the club. They will also be able to invest in some training apparatus like hurdles and ladders as well as some safety essentials like spare head torches for the winter months.

Find out more about Keswick AC Juniors at http://www.keswickac.org.uk/junior_section

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#LakelandFamily

This year the Montane Lakeland 100 competitors have raised in excess of £42,000.00 for Epic Kidz. The Lakeland 100 event has a huge and dedicated team of hard working volunteers and this year we have asked all of the checkpoint owners and checkpoint managers from the event to nominate a group or charity to receive an Epic Kidz donation. Over the coming few months we will be blogging about all the donations made to all the good causes nominated by the Lakeland 100 family.

Our next donation in the series has come from the team that run the Buttermere checkpoint. The Lakeland Legend duo known as Bev and Kim are regularly involved in the Lakeland 100, from manning their busy little checkpoint for the 100 runners, to helping out at the recce days throughout the year. Bev and Kim have chosen their local Brownie Pack, 40th Blackpool Brownies to receive their £500 donation.

The Brownie pack is around 52 years old and both Beverley and Kim have both been involved with them for around 28and 20 years respectively. There are between 16 and 24 girls that attend, between the ages of 7 to 10 years old. They have an action packed program of activities from mini Olympics, indoor games, team building etc and they also like to take the girls away whenever possible. They have been all over the country from the Yorkshire coast to Edinburgh and Sheffield but nowadays it is more difficult as parents can’t afford the trips as much anymore.

The aim this year for the Brownie pack is to have a trip to Waddow Hall in Clitheroe. It is an official girl guide centre and is only about 1 hours drive from Blackpool. They plan to do a range of around 6 or 7 activities over the weekend.

The donation of £500 from Epic Kidz will mean that the Brownie pack can take all 16 children to Waddow Hall for a weekend of climbing, crate challenges, abseiling and much more.

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Following some epic fundraising from the Lakeland100 competitors (over £42000 this year alone) Epic Kidz decided to give something back to the area that is close to the Lakeland 100 competitors hearts. With the help from the National Park, the people who look after all the foothpaths in the Lake District, 2 areas were identified as being in need of urgent repair along the Lakeland 100/50 route.

The first area is in the Langdales. The Langdale project will be running over 3 years due to the huge amount of work that is needed. The path damage in this area has been caused due to general wear and tear from normal use on a very popular footpath, coupled with water damage from normal rainfall running unchecked down the path.

The planned work will address the lack of drainage in the area and will repair the footpath surface. The work will be a combination of hand work carried out by specially trained Fix the Fells volunteers, some skilled stone work carried out by National Trust path workers and some digger work carried out by contractors.

Epic Kidz have donated £7000 to get the Langdale Project underway this year and will be helping to fund the project over the next few years until its conclusion.

The second area is a bridge over Whelter Beck, by Hawseswater. Due to the age of the bridge it had begun to rot quite extensively and, as well as due to the general wear and tear of the bridge, it was well in need of replacement. The bridge is located on the steep northern side of Haweswater and is part of the footpath which runs the length of the lake. Because of the remote location of the bridge the site is extremely difficult to access. Permissions have been grated from the land owners, the timber is due to arrive on site via boat and the work to construct the bridge should be completed during October or November this year.

Epic Kidz has donated £3000 to fully fund the project and create a long lasting bridge over Whelter Beck.

Become part of Lakeland history – Give us you quote!!

To acknowledge the fundraising efforts of the Lakeland100 competitors there will be a small plaque placed at each site. We are asking you all to send in a small quote (20 words maximum) to go on one of the plaques. We will pick the best two quotes and once both projects are completed the winning quotes will be engraved onto the plaques and placed on site. The deadline for submissions is Friday 9th December and they need to be emailed to organiser@lakeland100.com

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#LakelandFamily

This year the Montane Lakeland 100 competitors have raised in excess of £42,000.00 for Epic Kidz. The Lakeland 100 event has a huge and dedicated team of hard working volunteers and this year we have asked all of the checkpoint owners and checkpoint managers from the event to nominate a group or charity to receive an Epic Kidz donation. Over the coming few months we will be blogging about all the donations made to all the good causes nominated by the Lakeland 100 family.

Our next donation in the series has come from the guys that run the oasis known as Chapel Stile. It is a place of peace and tranquillity in amongst the craziness of the final stages of the Lakeland 100 & 50. Max and Ross Howard have created a legendary checkpoint covered in fairy lights and filled with sofas and rugs. Don’t sit down for too long though as it is extremely difficult to leave. Max and Ross have chosen the Odyssey Project to receive their £500 donation.

The Odyssey Project is a unique organisation that enhance the quality of life for people with cancer through adventure based programmes. They draw on the majesty of the outdoor environment, the arts and use the simulation of challenge, uncertainty and surprise to help cancer survivors overcome the emotional and physical devastation caused by their illness. They help patients rebuild their confidence and self-esteem, engage with exercise and take back control of their lives. All their courses are fully residential and are offered at no financial cost to the participants.

Odyssey initially ran 3 courses a year with 16 participants and they now run 12 courses per year with up to 20 participants on each, creating an annual total of 240 places per year.

Each course is carefully devised to enable a range of exciting and dramatic challenges lead by top quality staff. Great locations and experiences with every individual’s needs and aspirations taken into account. As a result the high level of detail and quality, the courses cost £20,000 to run. Given that the courses are free to the participants, dontations are much needed to ensure that they can continue to go ahead and help cancer surviors in the future.

The £500 donation from Epic Kidz will go towards the running costs of these amazing courses.

You can find out more about Odyssey at the website http://www.odyssey.org.uk

#EpicKidz

#LakelandFamily

This year the Montane Lakeland 100 competitors have raised in excess of £42,000.00 for Epic Kidz. The Lakeland 100 event has a huge and dedicated team of hard working volunteers and this year we have asked all of the checkpoint owners and checkpoint managers from the event to nominate a group or charity to receive an Epic Kidz donation. Over the coming few months we will be blogging about all the donations made to all the good causes nominated by the Lakeland 100 family.

Our next donation in the Lakeland 100 donation series has come from The Blencathra Centre who are kind enough to allow us to use their centre as the base for one of our Lakeland 100 checkpoints.

The Blencathra Centre has a national reputation for fieldwork and was established by the Field Studies Council in 1993. The main building is a former Sanatorium which was converted into the field centre in 1993.

Each year the centre hosts more than 8000 education visitors from over 300 schools. Visitors come from all over the UK and for many it is their first trip to the Lake District. They promote green tourism and provide field courses for schools and universities at all levels as well as a programme of courses for individuals and families. The main centre is also located on a public footpath (one which the Lakeland 100 follows) and many walkers and runners pass through the grounds.

Given the large amount of members of the public either at or passing by the centre, the centre decided it would be a good idea to install a defibrillator. They have a fundraising deadline of January 2017 to have the defibrillator up and running. The cost of purchase and installation will be around £1600 and the donation of £500 from Epic Kidz and the Lakeland 100 family will go towards this.

Read about the Blencathra Centre HERE.