Story
LATEST 12/04/11
ITS OVER
It took Ben and I 6½ hours to do, it killed 1 wheelchair and made me so proud that we can give a little back to our brave lads and lasses who over the years BLESMA have supported. I want to say on a personal note Mr Eric Cottam you were my inspiration, the kick up the arse I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself. This will be a legacy you have left not only for me but all concerned. THANK YOU.
Latest News as of 09/04/11
My son Ben Sorfleet aged 11 is doing the marathon with me on Monday on his bike, if anyone wants to support him with a couple of quid please feel free to do so on the donations page, but Mark it down on the pace when writing a message that it's for bens side please. Sorry it's short notice. If you are donating to Bens side please mark your donation FOR BEN on the comments part.
Latest News as of 06/04/2011
We delivered posters to go up at various points along the route today.
Liverpool's John Moores University have done an article for their website please see the following link
http://www.jmu-journalism.org.uk/#/news-433/4547594438
Latest News as of 22/03/2011
The generous members from Talk Photography have been amazing and provided the majority of the donation money. I thank you all from there and other sources that have donated so far.
Latest News as of 22/03/2011
Brighter Future Workshop (Skelmersdale) http://www.bfworkshop.co.uk have agreed to make sure the wheelchairs are up to the job and provide a support vehicle with a engineer in, and bring the other wheelchair that Im not using at the time, making sure they are fully charged etc.
Latest News as of 20/03/2011
Bury Lions Club have Kindly offered to marshall the event along with support vehicles, including cars and a motorbike.
Latest News as of 17/3/2011
Liverpool's Lord Mayor Councillor Hazel Williams has agreed to meet me at the end of the marathon. The end has now been confirmed as the front of the Old Granada News building on The Albert Dock.
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
Event Date April 11th 2011 Set off time 9 am
I am doing this because of a chance meeting I had with a remarkable gentleman called Eric Cottam at my Aunty Olga's funeral in January this year. His photograph is on this page. He is a 90 year old WW2 Vetran who lost both legs aged 19 in Belgium. He has written several books documenting his life and luckily enough I have managed to buy two of the books online.
He was so kind in letting me have his electric wheelchair when mine was only good for very short distances. It was like new he explained to me on a recent visit to him that he had only used it twice.
In return I am going to do a 26.2 mile (Marathon) in the wheelchair he kindly donated to me, (with my old 1 as a desperate last back up)
The route is from Boothstown in Salford on the East Lancs Road all the way to Liverpools Albert Dock
His books proceeds all go to Blesma, so I thought what better way of thanking this gentleman than helping his chosen charity.
By the way I am a wheelchair user following being injured in a bomb attack, a fall down stairs cracking my spine, a motorbike accident and then a couple of strokes.
Meeting Eric has made me sit back and take a look out how lucky I am, yet I fight with PTSD and depression as well as my physical disabilities. Eric has made me realise how much I can offer life itself
Eric I salute you sir.
Please give generously these men and women deserve all our help.
Thank you
Julian (Wheels)
To find out how I became disabled through a motorbike crash and a subsequent stroke visit my photography site at www.wheelsphotogallery.co.uk