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Jo Kilkenny's fundraising page
Hi, thanks for visiting my page. Through Virgin Money Giving, you can sponsor me and donations will be quickly processed and passed to charities. Virgin Money Giving is a not for profit organisation and will claim gift aid on a charity's behalf where the donor is eligible for this. I really appreciate all your support and thank you for any donations.
Below is the article I wrote on the race and the man I am doing it in honour of - Squadron Leader Anthony Downing who died of injuries sustained in Afghanistan.
The Viking Way Ultra is a 147mile race that is starting on 7th April and runs from Humber Bridge to Oakham. It is a non stop race and has a cut off of 40 hours.
34 runners, including myself, have been selected to participate in this tough event organised by Mark Cockbain, an accomplished Ultrarunner himself.
The event is self sufficient (no crew allowed) with basic stuff being provided at checkpoints every 15-18miles.
I am probably not going to do any other races before it, concentrating on this event and getting up to recce the route as often as possible so navigation is a little easier when tired on the actual event.
I am doing this race in memory of Squadron Leader Anthony Downing who was the RAF serviceman who died of injuries sustained in Afghanistan over christmas. Ant was a a good friend and a talented endurance athlete. I met him when I crewed at the Enduroman Double Ironman in 2009 and was lucky enough to have him in my life. Anyone who knew him would describe him as a gent. He was a kind, generous and modest guy who lived life to the full and whose only weakness was the copious amounts of tea he drank, his only addiction.....he normally couldn't open his eyes in the morning til he had his first cuppa which always made me laugh!
He was a talented runner and cyclist, having cycled across the States in 25 days, a fact he was pretty modest about. He had also planned on doing Arch to Arc 2013 even though he thought I was insane for doing it. Much as he liked to claim he was more sane than me I think he was at a similar level of insanity.
He was an all round great guy and leaves a void in many peoples lives.
Those who worked with him both liked and respected him and his loss will be felt for a long time so to honour his memory I am raising money for the RAF Benevolent Fund. Please give generously to a very good cause in honour of a very good man.
www.virginmoneygiving.com/Jokilkenny
Recent donors
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Pam Storey £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 20.02.12 Hope the run goes well. Looking forward to meeting you on the finish line. |
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Robert £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 13.02.12 All the best Jo :) |
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Lex £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 09.02.12 Great cause , Looks like a great race too ... maybe one day I'll give it a go :-) |
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Nick Fieldhouse £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 07.02.12 A really good cause - good luck. |
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Ali Morton £30.00 (+ £7.50 giftaid) 06.02.12 All the best Jo...I'll be doing my first triathlon for the same reason as you later this year, not quite as epic mind you. Take care and keep going xx |
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Tom Forman £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 06.02.12 |
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Donnie & Robert £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 02.02.12 Team Skye is right behind you, all the best. |
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Mel Winder £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 02.02.12 FAB cause Jo! He sounded liked a wicked guy! good luck with the race you crazy chick! Mel |
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Stassi Chilas £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 02.02.12 Good luck Jo. A great challenge and I'm sure Ant would be very proud of you. |
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Brian Fellowes £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 01.02.12 I saw your article in the local free paper. It sounds like an epic run and a great cause - good luck! |
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Becki £25.00 (+ £6.25 giftaid) 31.01.12 Go Jo! You are mental - but a great cause and in memory of a great guy. Good luck!! |
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gordon hercod £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 30.01.12 Never knew him but he sounded like a great guy |
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Kev Hallett £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 30.01.12 |
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Geraldine Hamilton £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 29.01.12 Good Luck Jo...a worthy cause |
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Charlie Frith £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 28.01.12 Good luck Jo! |
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Stuart Penman £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 27.01.12 Read the article about your run in this week's Mitcham Post. A very worthy cause and a sad loss of an incredible guy. Best of luck Jo! |
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Laura Gilbert £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 23.01.12 Good luck Jo. Supporting a brilliant cause for a brilliant reason! |
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Charlie Masding £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 22.01.12 Jo, good luck and enjoy! RIP Ant xx |
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Phil Dennehy £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 22.01.12 Good luck Jo! RIP Ant |
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Lois and Andrew Simpson £20.00 20.01.12 Happy training and good luck Jo!! |
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Gary Dalton £25.00 (+ £6.25 giftaid) 20.01.12 Good luck Jo, a nice testament to the man |
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Ron Hall £100.00 (+ £25.00 giftaid) 19.01.12 Go Jo! Sorry about your loss, Ant was obviously the all-round good guy. |
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Brian Canfer £25.00 (+ £6.25 giftaid) 19.01.12 In memory of Ant's time on the RAF Kinloss MRT. |
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Russ Hollington 2324 ATC £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 19.01.12 only a small amount - but such a shame to lose a good man like this. Good luck however far you get! |
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Anonymous £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 19.01.12 What a wonderful aim. well done |
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James Hitchcock £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 19.01.12 Like Andrew, I had the privilege of going to school with Ant - he was always a gent, and was amazing at cross-country (unlike Andrew & myself!) - all the best to you Jo! |
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Alison £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 19.01.12 Hi Jo, I didn't know Ant but my father and mother met while in the RAF. They are no longer with us, but both would be happy to know that I was supporting the RAF Benevolent Fund. Good luck with your huge run. An amazing challenge. Alison |
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Andrew and Gillian Cowell £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 17.01.12 |
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Louise £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 17.01.12 Jo - best of luck, I think you're slightly mental but I know Ant would love a challenge like this too! RAF BF is a great organisation and Ant was a great man. Go JO!! xx |
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Dave Clegg £100.00 (+ £25.00 giftaid) 16.01.12 In memory of Ant, best of luck Jo. |
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Charlie Frith £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 16.01.12 |
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Andrew £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 13.01.12 I am so privileged to have known Anthony at school. What a great friend he was! |
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KevinH £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 13.01.12 |
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Vicki & Mark Gilbert £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 11.01.12 A fantastic event for a fantastic cause, in memory of a fantastic bloke |
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Paul Gilhooley £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid) 09.01.12 |
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Jane Nellis £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 09.01.12 Worthy cause, good luck Jo |
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Fiona Mongredien £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid) 09.01.12 Good for you Jo - best of luck with the event and I hope you raise a huge amount of money for a very worthwhile cause. Will be thinking of you, hope it all goes well. Fiona xx |
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Owen Hannan £30.00 (+ £7.50 giftaid) 06.01.12 Best of luck Jo, good cause. |
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Mark Caddy £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 05.01.12 |
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Lee £5.00 (+ £1.25 giftaid) 05.01.12 A great cause. Well done Jo x |
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Andy Chapman £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid) 05.01.12 Good luck Jo! |
Running total
- Total raised incl. Gift Aid:
- £1,470.00
- Total donors:
- 41
- Biggest donor:
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Dave Clegg
£100.00 - Last donor:
- Pam Storey 20.02.12
- Offline fundraising:
- £0.00
