Highland Games

Aberlour House Preparatory School, Junior School of Gordonstoun, Moray, had a brilliant, sunny, spring day for its Highland Games on Saturday 27th April. Give Them a Sporting Chance is one of the two organisations who will benefit from the proceeds raised at this event. All at GTaSC are enormously grateful to all who helped raise funds. Especially London Olympic Gold Medal Rower, Heather Stanning, who gave her rowing top to the Games in order to raise funds through its auction.

Charlie Martell’s rowing of the Pacific; in May last year Charlie started his attempt to row the ocean solo. He is now preparing his solo row boat, Blossom, for a second attempt in the Spring of 2015, once again raising funds for Give Them a Sporting Chance and also for Talking 2 Minds (www.talking2minds.co.uk).

Jimmy's Visit with Thales Ace Training at RAF Lossiemouth, GR4 Tornado Simulator

Happy Valentine’s Day 2013

More Sporting Chances have been proposed and accomplished than ever in the last year -a remarkable series of opportunities generated by organisations recommending carers and disabled people of all ages for their Sporting Chances and for each and every one of the recipients to raise funds for a charity of their choice.

The goodness spins on and on and we now look to plans for 2015 in order to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. If you have any ideas of what we might do, get in touch, please! Simon Dyson, famous golfer, helped with the Sporting Chance of a young man with cerebral palsy. This was made possible through Simon’s generosity and the inspiration, support and encouragement of Chubby Chandler. A family went to Butlins in Skegness for a weekend. The British Grand Prix was attended and two recipients went to Florida; one, on his return, was given by Ewan McGregor a light-sabre from his role as Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars trilogy.

There are plans for someone to participate in the Black Ice Marathon in Siberia; a flight in a jet simulator; sailing; someone is desperate to meet Jessie J; and we’re looking at enabling someone on their ride to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

None of this would have been possible without the astonishing backing and support of so many – the Borders College in Galashiels , the Nelson Field Oil Group, Harrogate Ladies’ College, Kingswood Prep School and George Jeavons-Fellows in the West Midlands of England. Aberlour House Highland Games will raise funds for Give Them a Sporting Chance next year.

The Management Team has again been wonderfully active and involved. The British Olympic Association hosted one of our meetings in their Charlotte Street, London headquarters and the Princess Royal continues to be so involved, active, supportive and encouraging and is a crucial member of the Management Team. One member of the Management Team will re-visit the Pacific Ocean in 2015, raising funds for Give Them a Sporting Chance. In this year, Charlie raised a substantial sum in his attempt to row across the Pacific Ocean. Things were going brilliantly well until he was hit by a tropical storm. He pitch poled, rolled over twenty times and a Scottish Freight Ship, the MV Last Tycoon rescued him. Such is the determination and focus of Charlie that he will be off again in Blossom in his attempt to row the Pacific for Give Them a Sporting Chance.

Do look at our new website www.givethemasportingchance.com and thank you again for caring, for supporting and being interested in our work. The Valentine’s present that I would like from you this year would be even more recipients – carers and people of all ages – in order that we can give them their Sporting Chance

Charlie Martell

Give Them a Sporting Chance Management Team Member, Charlie Martell has been in Scotland giving talks to Merchiston Castle School, St. Mary's Prep School Melrose and Loretto School respectively, with the aim of "inspiring our future".

"Why do you do all these adventures?", "What did the writing on your cabin roof say?" - two very good questions presented to Charlie Martell, by pupils of St. Mary's and Loretto, when Charlie was giving a talk on his recent attempt to row across the North Pacific Ocean, solo and unsupported. The answer to the first question being that, Charlie has been inspired by those less fortunate than him, with this in mind he aims to inspire others (others being those in the audience, "our future"). Secondly, Charlie met Alistair Urquhart, author of "The Forgotten Highlander" in January 2012. Alistair was held as a Prisoner of War in World War Two, by the Japanese. Alistair survived, many didn't. Alistair's key words for Charlie for the Ocean Row was, "Never, ever, give up". These words were written in the cabin of Charlie's boat and provided motivation on a daily basis.

It was an excellent week for Charlie, which was organised by Sheona Gordon, an opportunity to inspire, to meet old school friends raise funds for Give Them a Sporting Chance and also to raise awareness of "Flying for Freedom" www.fly2pole.com.

Disney World

A young person visited Disney World with his sister and grandparents.
A local Rotary club member recommended the four year old with retinoblastoma, a rare childhood cancer, for his Sporting Chance.
Funds were raised for a variety of local charities.

Ewan McGregor added to the little boy's excitement by giving him a Star Wars ‘Light Sabre’ from his role as the film's Jedi Star Obi-Wan Kenobi.