Over £4631 raised for MIND!
Our MD Helen Swift also runs Thame Choral Society and Towcester Choral Society. During Zoom rehearsals, Helen picked up on the stress many were experiencing and resolved to do something to combat ‘lockdown blues’. She decided to raise money for the mental health charity MIND by slightly adapting a classic fundraising challenge – the ‘Three Peaks’ of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales. Instead of climbing them all within 24 hours, as is the usual objective, she decided to do them separately but within a total time of 12 hours. To add an extra dimension, she would sing at the top of each mountain, accompanied by her husband, Jonathan French. Of course, that therefore required that Jonathan carry a piano up with them.
Towards the end of September, Helen and Jon scaled Ben Nevis and sang Flower of Scotland, ascended Scafell Pike and sang Jerusalem and then in early October, they were joined by some other choir members to complete the trio with Snowdon, when they all sang the Welsh National anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, in the wind and rain. To ensure the 12 hour target was met Helen & Jon ended up running back down the mountain (still with the keyboard on Jon’s back!).
There were plenty of people supporting Helen’s endeavours in other ways too. Some climbed their stairs many many times, others cycled (both conventionally and on static exercise bikes), Oxford Welsh’s president, Malcolm Hookham was sponsored for playing 54 holes of golf and Thame and Towcester’s accompanist, Rowena Gibbons, raised a large sum by donning her running shoes and pounding the streets of her neighbourhood.
The total raised so far for Mind is a magnificent £4631
Online donations are still being accepted. Click here: Mind.