Herga and Deben UK fundraising walk for the British Heart Foundation

Herga Technology is proud to have been associated with a local fundraising event for the British Heart Foundation this weekend.

Herga Technology is proud to have been associated with a local shared fundraising event for the British Heart Foundation this weekend. The “fight for every heartbeat” campaign was a 20km walk in the Suffolk countryside organised by Lindsay Charlson and to raise as much money as possible for this critical cause, close to the hearts of all. This inspired 9 likeminded friends to take part in this fun packed day which included taking a 3-mile wrong turn so far out it went off the actual map, braving bulls in fields with no more than a twig, barbed wire fence vaulting, ditch jumping, unforeseen toilet stops, technical hitches on camera’s and endless trip hazards (Kempy x 2), as well as months’ worth of training and organising that generally linked alcohol and food with tears that covered every conceivable emotion.

The main event on Saturday the 11th August saw 7-members of the Herga team take part in a 5 villages walk around the countryside of Felsham, near Bury St Edmunds, organiser Lindsay Charlson (above centre with the mouth open) and one of the family pets Enzo, a 2-year old Jack Russell Terrier, were also joined by Lindsay’s Deben UK work colleague Dave Forsdyke who became known through the walk as Deben Dave to his new found manufacturing friends. Suffolk’s very own BHF Fundraising Manager Nigel Donkin saw the crazy gang set off into the early morning sunshine, having let off red balloons in thought and memory of those that perhaps triggered the decisions to take part in the first place.

A just giving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lindsay-charlson1was created giving reasons of the fundraising event for this great cause. Our target was to reach £1,000, a level we would actually hit almost 2-weeks before the event. The donation page remains open right now and will so for the week ahead as we try to end with a double target donation, having coming through a combined 315,000 steps and collectively burning off over 29,700 calories, not counting Enzo’s step counter and with blistering feet now in the recovery position post popping.  

With the temperature warming and the skies clearing, fortunately a 3-mile wrong turn was early enough in the walk to still be lost in the novelty of the whole experience, thank you to the local that redirected us back on the map at Bradfield St George.

Hessett would be the first official stop off, for a hot drink and breakfast but the 3 mile detour earlier would make this more of a lunch break stop, then onto Drinkstone and this is the stretch running from the Church grounds at Hessett, where countryside styles would make it more of an obstacle course. Below left, Janet “Thomo” Thomas tests the safe working load of the first style, before Lindsay Charlson (below right) takes a whole new unconventional approach by going through the style rather than over as we entered Drinkstone.     

As the early afternoon heat started to make its mark on rosy cheeks and reddening shoulders Ginny, one huge incentive started to tickle our taste buds with the theoretical thought of quenching our thirst, over the hill and on the approaching horizon would be our 18km power hour at the 5-Bells Pub in Rattlesden, Tina could scent a refreshing pint (or three) and Janet is just Janet, being contained by Deben Dave and Karen……..

To walk down through the grounds of Rattlesden Church and glance to the right, seeing the 5-Bells sign and more importantly “open for business” gave us all a massive adrenaline boost and actually saw some of us try to sprint, some for a drink and some for the toilet although some of the running techniques suggested for that maybe the toilet pit stop had maybe come a corner or a crop field too late…….

A wonderful and much needed hour with our target 20km in sight and with a 5pm arrival at the Felsham 6-Bells Pub being timed and tracked with almost military precision. A huge thanks to the staff of the 5-Bells for a without any prompt whatsoever donation towards our British Heart Foundation cause, this gave us a boost all the way to the finishing line in just how kind people can be to support a fundraising event even though we had never been in the 5-Bells before or met with the incredible staff, we will all return.

Our 20km goal was reached before leaving the village of Rattlesden and for some this was also a huge personal goal achieved from months of training, leading to what would be a further and final 4km as more of a celebration procession into Felsham of our fun packed day and the meaning of why we set out to do this fundraising activity when the ease of the mind is to not even consider such feats. Below Lindsay, Janet and Tracy (no E) take over the Rattlesden to Felsham road having already achieved our goal with super Enzo!!!. 

The 6-Bells at Felsham was a final stop off before an evening BBQ allowing for us to pause for a moment and just realise what we had each achieved whilst congratulating each other and being proud of the target donations we had reached with the just giving page open until the close of this week as we try to double what we set out to achieve.

Of the achievement Nigel Donkin the British Heart Foundation fundraising Manager for Suffolk said:-

“Very well done to you all, a great achievement and extra mileage too!!!It was really good to meet you all and a big thank you to everyone who took part and all those that have sponsored you all. I look forward to looking at Sandra’s pictures. Let me know when you have closed the Just Giving page and we can broadcast the final total raised”.

Please help us to reach double our target and Nigel this is from Sandra back to you on what simply summarises a most incredible day out in the Suffolk countryside where our little awareness broadcast achieved an enlightening message of life and a message of hope whilst showing just what anyone can actually do with a pair of walking shoes and the creation of a little time, to help others with a mile and the achievement of success.…..   

And just before you each log on to donate, one member of the team has been missed from the photos, a person who maliciously popped two balloons that we challenged to stay “inflated” with the owners until the final pub, Ginny this is for you, not sure tall style or short legs!!!………………

And finally the reason we ask for your kindness:- https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lindsay-charlson1