Kash Hasan tells us about the GDS Bristol headline fundraiser which took place in June to raise funds for the GDS Foundation.
GDS Bristol proposed a 72 hour jail break distance challenge for their headline fundraising activity for the GDS Foundation http://www.gdsfoundation.com/
The contestants were Luke Sartain, Pramel Shah, Darren Harvey, Christian Szaruta, Johnny Spragg, Tony Arumugan, Penny Stapleton and Farai Musa.
The challenge started at 8.30am Monday 6th June, at GDS Bristol, and the goal was to get the furthest distance from the office in a 72-hour countdown with a budget of £50 and whatever they can fit in a rucksack.
Contestants detailed their journey on a video dairy and provided receipts and a contact number at their final destination to prove they had actually made the journey.
Each team was supported with fundraising events in the lead up to the 72 hour distance challenge.
Let's see how they got on....
The Original "Pirate" Blaggers - Jonathan and Tony
They bagged a stretch hummer limo on the day they left the office which took them to Bristol airport. This was then followed by 2 courtesy 1-way flights to Lisbon.
Once in Lisbon and a few ‘favours’ here and there they hitched a ride in a car and ended up at the doors of a 5* hotel (name unknown) where they got hold of a room free of charge – with a complimentary bottle of crystal!
Final destination Lisbon, miles travelled: 900
Team 'Shartain' - Luke Sartain & Pramel Shah
"We managed to get a free train to London, we then got to Gatwick. After 9 hours of waiting at the airport and being refused a flight ANYWHERE we managed to get two flights to Turkey!
"Monday 10pm we left the UK and arrived in Bodman Turkey at 2am, we met two club reps who gave us some good ideas on where to go and then embarked on a 6 mile hike to the nearest city, we arrived and managed to to get a couple of hours shut eye on a beach before heading off again, this time to Dalaman city."
"We have slept four hours in nearly 2 and a half days, its a scorching 36 degrees, we continue to push east..1880 miles so far.." Final destination: Dalaman City, Turkey, miles travelled: 1880
You can sponsor the boys on their donation page: http://www.72hourchallenge.co.cc
Team 'Inevitable' - Farai Musa & Penny Stapleton
After what seemed a promising start that began with a plea on BBC radio on Monday morning, things went quickly North for this team. Team 'Inevitable' tried to get to Edinburgh airport after managing to organise a flight, and had to get there by 20.30.
"We ran into a bit of difficulty on the train when the conductor wasn’t interested in our reasons for not having a ticket and wanted to fine us £130 each! He also took our details to give to the police and we got kicked off in York. We then got on the next train, but were kicked off in Durham!
Needless to say we didn’t make it to Edinburgh in time for their flight, and we got stuck in Dundee...
After missing the flight plan B was to get to Aberdeen, and then get a ferry to the Shetland Islands which we succeeded in doing. The plan to get to Denmark did not materialise "
Final destination: Shetland Island. Miles travelled: 760
You can sponsor team 'invitable' at http://www.justgiving.com/teams/autism72challenge/
Team Blazin Saddles - Christian Szaruta & Darren Harvey
Phone call received from Christain 'Subo" Szaruta at 11am June 8th
"We are in the French Riviera, we managed to get on a train at Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington station. We then hitch hiked to Dover and managed to get chatting to a Lorry Driver who took us across the channel in his lorry.Then we caught a train to Paris, then 'TGV' a train to Niece, we are currently in Mentan and are walking to Monte Carlo.Can you ask Jamie to sub me £100, we have run out of money..."
Christian sat outside the Fairmont, at the hairpin of the F1 track, Monte Carlo!
Final destination: Monte Carlo. Miles travelled 760
Well done to Team Shartain who travelled the furthest although all teams made a real sterling efffort travelling a combined total of 4,180 miles raising a fantastic amount of £1,200. Well done GDS Bristol.
To find out more about the GDS Foundation and how GDS raised a total of £31,673.56 visit http://www.gdsfoundation.com/
GDS Bristol proposed a 72 hour jail break distance challenge for their headline fundraising activity for the GDS Foundation http://www.gdsfoundation.com/
The contestants were Luke Sartain, Pramel Shah, Darren Harvey, Christian Szaruta, Johnny Spragg, Tony Arumugan, Penny Stapleton and Farai Musa.
The challenge started at 8.30am Monday 6th June, at GDS Bristol, and the goal was to get the furthest distance from the office in a 72-hour countdown with a budget of £50 and whatever they can fit in a rucksack.
Contestants detailed their journey on a video dairy and provided receipts and a contact number at their final destination to prove they had actually made the journey.
Each team was supported with fundraising events in the lead up to the 72 hour distance challenge.
Let's see how they got on....
The Original "Pirate" Blaggers - Jonathan and Tony
They bagged a stretch hummer limo on the day they left the office which took them to Bristol airport. This was then followed by 2 courtesy 1-way flights to Lisbon.
Once in Lisbon and a few ‘favours’ here and there they hitched a ride in a car and ended up at the doors of a 5* hotel (name unknown) where they got hold of a room free of charge – with a complimentary bottle of crystal!
Final destination Lisbon, miles travelled: 900
Team 'Shartain' - Luke Sartain & Pramel Shah
"We managed to get a free train to London, we then got to Gatwick. After 9 hours of waiting at the airport and being refused a flight ANYWHERE we managed to get two flights to Turkey!
"Monday 10pm we left the UK and arrived in Bodman Turkey at 2am, we met two club reps who gave us some good ideas on where to go and then embarked on a 6 mile hike to the nearest city, we arrived and managed to to get a couple of hours shut eye on a beach before heading off again, this time to Dalaman city."
"We have slept four hours in nearly 2 and a half days, its a scorching 36 degrees, we continue to push east..1880 miles so far.." Final destination: Dalaman City, Turkey, miles travelled: 1880
You can sponsor the boys on their donation page: http://www.72hourchallenge.co.cc
Team 'Inevitable' - Farai Musa & Penny Stapleton
After what seemed a promising start that began with a plea on BBC radio on Monday morning, things went quickly North for this team. Team 'Inevitable' tried to get to Edinburgh airport after managing to organise a flight, and had to get there by 20.30.
"We ran into a bit of difficulty on the train when the conductor wasn’t interested in our reasons for not having a ticket and wanted to fine us £130 each! He also took our details to give to the police and we got kicked off in York. We then got on the next train, but were kicked off in Durham!
Needless to say we didn’t make it to Edinburgh in time for their flight, and we got stuck in Dundee...
After missing the flight plan B was to get to Aberdeen, and then get a ferry to the Shetland Islands which we succeeded in doing. The plan to get to Denmark did not materialise "
Final destination: Shetland Island. Miles travelled: 760
You can sponsor team 'invitable' at http://www.justgiving.com/teams/autism72challenge/
Team Blazin Saddles - Christian Szaruta & Darren Harvey
Phone call received from Christain 'Subo" Szaruta at 11am June 8th
"We are in the French Riviera, we managed to get on a train at Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington station. We then hitch hiked to Dover and managed to get chatting to a Lorry Driver who took us across the channel in his lorry.Then we caught a train to Paris, then 'TGV' a train to Niece, we are currently in Mentan and are walking to Monte Carlo.Can you ask Jamie to sub me £100, we have run out of money..."
Christian sat outside the Fairmont, at the hairpin of the F1 track, Monte Carlo!
Final destination: Monte Carlo. Miles travelled 760
Well done to Team Shartain who travelled the furthest although all teams made a real sterling efffort travelling a combined total of 4,180 miles raising a fantastic amount of £1,200. Well done GDS Bristol.
To find out more about the GDS Foundation and how GDS raised a total of £31,673.56 visit http://www.gdsfoundation.com/