A Message from John Ashe, Archdeacon of Lynn

Without the East Anglian Air Ambulance which brought a doctor to the roadside and air-lifted Shelagh to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, she would not be alive today.  I discovered that the Air Ambulance is called out on life-saving missions 4 or 5 times every day, but it is funded solely by voluntary donations and needs to find over £3 million each year. I now want to do something to raise funds for them.

I had already been planning a sponsored run to raise money for the work and ministry of the Diocese of Norwich, work which is largely funded through the Parish Share system by which every church contributes to the cost.  My hope was to bring a little fun into the raising of Parish Share and demonstrate what a good and important cause it is.  It funds work in parishes across the diocese which costs approximately £11 million each year.

Bringing these two together has led to a sponsored run on Easter Monday (Monday 05 April) with all money raised to be divided between the East Anglian Air Ambulance and the work of the Church in the Diocese of Norwich. The course takes us around the beautiful setting of Barningham Hall in Matlaske, setting off at 11am.

My daughter, Lucy, and I will be running 10 miles and we would like to invite others to join us for all or part of this (set your own distance) to run or to walk.  The course will be 3.3 miles which participants are welcome to complete once, twice - or even three times to complete the 10 miles. Walkers are also welcome and there will be a slightly shorter circuit for them to complete.  To join us, we ask for a £10 donation and then invite you to find your own sponsorship, supporting these two excellent causes or another charity of your own choice (or perhaps the Parish Share of your own parish?).  Families are welcome - with just one donation of £10 per household.  If you would like more details of how to join in, please email me at archdeacon.lynn@norwich.anglican.org

A poster is available at:
http://www.norwich.anglican.org/documents/johnashe-poster.pdf

A sponsorship form is available at:
http://www.norwich.anglican.org/documents/sponsorship-form.doc

We are most grateful to Thomas and Amelia Courtauld for their kind offer of the use of Barningham Hall's park, woods and garden for a varied and interesting course.  They will be serving teas on the day for all runners, walkers and supporters; I hope it will be a fun day out to which all are invited.

If you can't join us, you might like to sponsor Lucy and me. You can do so on line at http://www.justgiving.com/John-Ashe or by sending your contribution to me at Holly Tree House, Whitwell Road, Sparham, Norfolk NR9 5PN.  Cheques should be made out to Norwich Diocesan Board of Finance.

With best wishes

John

The Ven John Ashe
Archdeacon of Lynn
archdeacon.lynn@norwich.anglican.org