Latest News... the força is strong!
Walhampton raise over £11,000 for força - strength against cancerer
Força - strength against cancer would like to extend a simply massive thank you to Walhampton School Parents Association, the parents and the prize donors for their incredible support this year. As their chosen charity for the 2015/2016 school year, they have raised more than £11,000 for força - strength against cancer from their quiz night, the Junior Wessex Athletics refreshments stall and the summer party auction. These funds will support our Nourish project for many months and we are hugely grateful.
Nourish...by força
This month, força is launching a new initiative: Nourish...by força. The aim is to provide delicious meals to local people undergoing cancer treatment at Oakhaven Hospice. The team originally helped their friend, Carla, by delivering lovingly cooked meals for the family on the days she had chemotherapy and was too weak to cook.
Whilst receiving cancer treatment at Oakhaven, patients will now have the opportinity to choose both a fresh meal to take home and warm up that evening and a frozen meal to eat another day. Meals are offered in single portions, double portions or family sizes (feeding 4 people). A volunteer will come round with a menu during the treatment so that the patient can choose what they would like! It will then be packaged up, ready to take away at the end of the treatment session. In addition, if treatment is taking place over the lunchtime period, patients will be offered a light but delicious lunch! All meals are freshly prepared on site by the Oakhaven catering team; vegetarian meals will be on offer and most dietary preferences can be catered for. All meals are financed by força – strength against cancer... Bon appétit!
força Advent carols raise £2,000
Over 200 people attended the força Advent Carol Concert on 28th November, which featured a host of local choirs and soloists. The concert opened with some festive carols by the Lymington Junior School choir, led by accomplished local artist Aimee Durnell. Lily Cherpokova then performed Ave Maria, enchanting the audience. The tempo was then raised by the Total Voice Contemporary Choir, based in Milford on Sea, who sang a collection of contemporary Christmas songs. After a short interval, Brockenhurst’s Friday Girls got the audience singing with a combination of traditional and modern Christmas songs, including a solo by Marie Creed Helliwell. Tiptoe-based choir, Crescendi, then performed a combination of festive and modern songs, concluding the concert with a tear-jerking ‘One Day More’.
Thank all those who participated and to Denison Jackson Estate Agents who kindly sponsored the event, plus Lymington Baptist Church for allowing us to use their delightful space.
força supporting Chemo Outreach service in Lymington
On 12 November 2015, Carla presented a cheque from forca strength against cancer for
£1,000 cheque to Debbie Summers, Chemotherapy Outreach Nurse from C3 Unit at Southampton General Hospital. The funds, which were donated for the second consecutive year by força, are earmarked for the running costs of the car that transports chemotherapy drugs from Southampton General Hospital to Oakhaven, helping the team of nurses to continue to bring cancer treatment closer to patients' homes in the area.
The Outreach Nurses are not permitted to transport the chemotherapy drugs in their own vehicles, making this vehicle a vital element of chemotherapy provision at Oakhaven Hospice. Many thanks to our supporters, together we're helping Oakhaven maintain this excellent Outreach service in Lymington.
força crosses Scotland!
In September 2015, two intrepid força team members, Genie Webb and Kate Chapman, took part in the Rat Race Coast to coast, crossing Scotland from Nairn on the East Coast, and finishing at Ballaculish on Loch Leven just near Glencoe on the West Coast. The event was a mixture of Cycling (total 83 miles) running/trekking (i.e. trekking was when it was too steep to run!) (total 21 miles) and Kayaking on Loch Ness and again across Loch Leven ( 2-3 miles) over two days in the Highlands.
"The weather was kind to us with sunny spells and the odd shower", shared Genie. "We took part as a team, and in company with another team of friends from Winchester. It was a great experience and fantastic fun. Vamos Forca!!"
Friday lunch hits the spot!
On Friday 1st May, força took on the Friday lunch at Milford-on-Sea Community Centre for the second consecutive year. A homemade two course lunch for just £5, served with a smile. The locals flooded in for delicious lasagne and salad, followed by homemade healthy cupcakes (with hidden veggies!), fruit and icecream. Second helpings were extremely popular and all tables seemed successful with the raffle! Another great opportunity for locals to have a fun time with all profits going to força.
força's novice triathletes!
Bright and early on 26th April, a hardcore força team braved the Força Lymington Triathlon, led by Iain Robertson of the Monkey House who pledged a sizeable donation to força on top of his race entry. It was a first triathlon for each of the team.
The race started with a 'freezing' cold 500m swim around the Sea Water Baths. Everyone got stuck in - Manley perfecting the 'walk-swim' and poorly Genie ploughing on.
A chilly run back to the bandstand transition station and off they went on their 12.5km cycle through country lanes and forest roads.
It seemed just moments later that they were back, ditching the bikes for the final 5km run around the sea wall.
A wonderful race for all - especially Nicky who was 2nd Veteran and Genie who was 3rd Veteran. We didn't realise they were so old...
força gets muddy!
On Saturday 7th March, six of our hardiest girls braved the mud and swamps at the Nuts Challenge. 100 obstacles over 7km, including a lot of mud and wading through a lake....smiles became grimaces as the mud got deeper and colder, but our girls strode on, keeping a pace until the end. A brilliant effort - for the second year running - and they must have enjoyed it as they seem to want to do it again...