Another wonderful evening attended by Friends, Patrons and Trustees of the INSPIRE Foundation for the annual Wine Tasting at Bibury Suite, Salisbury Racecourse. 

Guests were greeted with a glass of Prosecco and then introduced to an array of world wines by Charles Steevenson and his charming staff: Steevenson Wines

During the evening canapes were served by Emma Harrison of Complete Catering and later there was an auction and raffle which ensured guests didn’t go home empty handed.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported us – we raised £1,500!

 

On Thursday 16th March The INSPIRE Foundation held it’s Spring Reception at the University of Glasgow.

Guest speaker was Melanie Reid who writes the ‘Spinal Column’ in the Saturday colour supplement of the Times….

On Sunday 12th March 2017, former RAF Officer David Temple, rowed the Bath Half Marathon! He challenged his wife Sue who ran in the race but due to a spinal cord injury in 1985, INSPIRE Member, David is unable to run so instead rowed by the side lines on a Concept II rowing machine.

David has raised over £900 for The INSPIRE Foundation which is a fantastic achievement of which we are very grateful.  It was a brilliant atmosphere on the day and David finished his 13.2miles in under 2 hours!

To read David’s full story please see his Just Giving Page.

 

More than 160 people took part in the George Skeates Stockbridge Fun Run which is in its 30th year.

The funds raised (£2,000) from the popular event on Sunday will go to the George Skeates Benevolent Fund – beneficiaries of which include The INSPIRE Foundation and Wessex Heartbeat.

The event was featured in the Southern Evening Echo – click this link to view the article along with some great photos.

Thanks to everyone who supported our stall at the Christmas Market.  It was a freezing cold day but we took £219 in sales….

A wonderful evening was enjoyed by all at INSPIRE’S first Autumn Supper.  I think everyone would agree the menu, which was created by Patron and ‘Cook to INSPIRE’ author Nessie Owen, was absolutely delicious so thanks again to Nessie, husband David, friend Kate and Kate’s Mum who worked all afternoon preparing.  The supper was very well complimented by wine from Liam Steevenson MW.

Below are a few photos of the evening – thanks once again to Karen Hitchlock for capturing some great shots…..

Rob Drag who works at Salisbury District Hospital will be running 2 marathons; London and Gloucester City, raising money for INSPIRE.  He is hoping to achieve a time of under 2 hours 45 minutes.

You can sponsor Rob via Just Giving

Wishing him the best of luck!

Charles Ryan ran the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon on Sunday 9th October raising over £3,000 for the INSPIRE Foundation.

INSPIRE would like to say a huge thank you to Charles and all who supported him. (notice the INSPIRE logo on his shirt….)

Charles’s story…..Much against the advice of my wife and knee doctor, I have decided to have a bash at a half marathon in October.  I have entered for the Royal Parks Half Marathon, which I am told is one of the more attractive marathons, if such a thing exists!

I am deep into training and so far the knees are holding firm with a lot of help from bags of Birdseye frozen peas and my wife’s healing hands.  Sadly the hamstrings, calf and thigh muscles are also rebelling.  But not so much as to stop me.

Now well into my 60th year, I have promised this will be my last long run, not that I think I am going to have much choice in the matter.  As such, I have decided to try and raise some money for a charity that has become important to me in recent years.

You can still sponsor Charles online at Just Giving

 

POLO 2016

Saturday 9th July, Tidworth Polo Club

 Main Sponsor:

A wonderful day was enjoyed at the INSPIRE Foundation Polo Tournament which opened the Rundle Cup, on Saturday 9^th July 2016 at Tidworth Polo Club. Our main sponsor Quilter Cheviot Investment Management fielded a team played in pink contested by the victorious Baylis & Harding Team in black and white. They played two chukkas on ponies, one on bicycles and competed in the wheelchair relay with INSPIRE’S own team which won by a short head. The finale was the exciting Two Furlong Dash (2FD) a three horse race won by polo player Max Lopez. The lucky punter who backed him, winning a magnum of champagne (donated by Steevenson Wines) was Mrs Zoe Fletcher whose husband James, MD of Fletcher & Partners Chartered Accountants will hopefully look favourably on our audit bill this summer! During the morning we were also entertained by Army and Royal Navy Freefall Teams who hit the spot in the middle of the polo field, despite low cloud and a stiff breeze.

Our guests then retired to the INSPIRE marquee for a reception and a sumptuous three course lunch prepared by Emma Harrison and her wonderful catering team. Suitably refreshing wines were provided by our tame vintner Charles Steevenson Owner and MD of Steevenson’s Wines, Tavistock. Our lunch party (and later afternoon tea) were well supported by many friends and invited guests who all received Quilter Cheviot travelling rugs and Baylis and Harding gift bags. In addition our auction raised over £3600 with wonderful donated Lots including, a week’s holiday in Provence (donated by John & Annie Lupton), a Wine Master Class (donated by Liam Steevenson MW), a week at sea on tall ship Bessie Ellen (donated by Nikki Alford), a Visitors’ Day with lunch at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and VIP Tickets to Countryfile Live at Blenheim Palace donated by Quilter Cheviot. Trustee Mr John Glen MP also donated a bottle of House of Commons Wine signed by the Prime Minster Rt Hon David Cameron MP which was won by Mr & Mrs Christopher Cann for £160. The Prime Minister has since resigned.

We would like to thank the jockeys and eventers for creating such a fun atmosphere during the events and all our amazing volunteers who supported us.

Note: POLO Saturday 8^th July 2017. Details will be published on this website next Spring.

Copyright:  All photographs are the property of the INSPIRE Foundation.  To make copies or produce prints please contact:  member@karenhitchlock.freeserve.co.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lord and Lady Amherst will be opening their delightful gardens in Cheriton village near Alresford (postcode SO24 0PR). See map for directions.

For a small entrance fee, guests are invited to walk around the grounds of Cheriton Cottage, admire the flowers, plants, shrubs and lawns and take professional advice from the local Nursery who help stock and tend the garden.

The INSPIRE Foundation of which Lady Amherst is a patron benefits from the event and will be manning an information stand. All members, their families and friends will be warmly received. Tea and homemade cakes will be available throughout the afternoon.

We would love to hear from any Volunteers who wish to help either in the refreshment tent or at INSPIRE’s information stand: Telephone: 01722 336262 Ext 2465

Volunteers Needed…

We always have a great day at Salisbury races where we will be fundraising on Wednesday 22nd June manning the INSPIRE Foundation gazebo, engaging with the lovely crowd and ‘giving out’ INSPIRE rosettes. The first race is at 2:10 pm followed at 2:40 pm by The INSPIRE Foundation Handicap Stakes (Seniors’ Sprint).

We will be there from noon until the last race at 5.25pm and will then man our ‘exit bucket collections’ a major source of income! Quite simply, the more people we have hold INSPIRE buckets, the more money we stand to make! If you can help for any part of the day we would be delighted to have you with us; please get in touch with the office on 01722 336262 ext 2465. Car parking is free and so are INSPIRE entry tickets which cost everyone else £23.00!

For more details about race days, click on http://www.salisburyracecourse.co.uk/salisburyracecourse/racing/fixture-list.html

On Thursday 14^th April 2016, we held another very enjoyable reception in the River Room at the House of Lords. The event was hosted by INSPIRE Patron Baroness Masham of Ilton DL with over seventy Patrons, friends, scientists and trustees present.

INSPIRE Director, Rory Steevenson used this opportunity to appraise the gathering of the INSPIRE Foundation’s current and future research programme; he made special mention of the sponsors and grant making trusts who had made significant donations to the charity for the purpose of scientific research into spinal cord injury.

During the evening Richard Firth of Quilter Cheviot Investment Management presented INSPIRE with a very generous cheque of £30,000 – sponsorship for our annual Polo fundraiser at Tedworth Polo Club (10,000 per year).

PhD student Sean Doherty was also awarded an INSPIRE Foundation scholarship in memory of Major General Ralph Crossley enabling him to take a PhD research project: Neuromodulation as an alternative to pharmaceutical therapies for bladder, bowel and lower limb spasticity in SCI ‘NEUROMOD’.

We also unveiled the new INSPIRE logo and celebrated Baroness Masham’s birthday!

 

If you would like to order a print of any of the photos please contact Ian Swain at i.swain@ntlworld.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nearly 100 Friends of the INSPIRE Foundation gathered for the annual Wine Tasting at Bibury Suite, Salisbury Racecourse.  A huge thank you to everyone who attended and supported us – we raised £2,500!

Guests were greeted with a glass of Prosecco and then introduced to an array of world wines by Charles Steevenson and his charming staff: Steevenson Wines

During the evening canapes were served by Joff from Bird & Carter and later there was an auction and raffle which ensured guests didn’t go home empty handed.

This is the fourth such event of it’s kind and as always we will be delighted to hear from anyone who attended any thoughts or ideas for future events.

Photos are by Guy Whitworth Tel: 01722 712834  Email: guywhitworth@hotmail.co.uk