LAM Action

Miscellaneous Stories not Included in LAMPost

Auction of Promises - 12 October 2002

The Grand Auction of Promises was  held in Bradford on Avon (Wiltshire) on Saturday October 12^th 2002

The event was an enormous success and everyone at LAM Action would like to thank to all those who helped to make the auction go so well.

The total amount raised during the evening was a remarkable £8,676.

Three items were withdrawn for not reaching 'sensible' bids but all other items were sold.

Our grateful thanks go to the team of helpers on the night:

• Theresa Hewat, (LAM patient)
• Lucy Falconer (LAM patient)
• Louise Wardle (LAM patient)
• Prof Anne Tattersfield
• Tony Kennett
• Mike Sinfield
• Chris Penny
• Colin Johns
• Anita Hawkesworth
• Elizabeth Grant
• Laura Hewat

Auctioneer: Jonathan Hewat

PR & Publicity: Martin Powell (Bristol)

Press (= Radio & TV) coverage was excellent prior to the event, and the turnout at The Riverside Inn, Bradford on Avon, was estimated at around 200 people. A great deal of fun was had by all as you can see from the pictures below

The LAM Auction of Promises began at a Committee Meeting in Nottingham when it was suggested that such an event might be good for a fairly substantial amount of money for the much needed research into finding a cure.

Jonathan Hewat agreed to take this one on as it was his suggestions anyway. The initial work began a couple of months before the date chosen for the Auction. (October is a month when people are just beginning to think about what Uncle Bill or Aunt Mary might like for Christmas.)

A considerable number of friends, and particularly business colleagues were approached to offer something; preferably an item that money couldn't necessarily buy. The response was remarkable, and because there was a personal element to the various requests, the offers began to come in.

Even the venue (Riverside Inn, B-on-A) was donated, and a friendly printer gave the cost of reproducing the Lists of Lots and many other photocopied items. In all, the costs were extremely low, allowing net proceeds to be as high as possible. A large banner with stick-on letters was produced and displayed during the week before, on the railings in front of a particularly grand house in Bradford on Avon Town centre. It announced "Fantastic Auction of Promises" plus other details. One resident enquired when the auction of "the premises" was!

Came the night, the only unknown was how many people would turn up. We were up against an England football game, and various other events in the town, but around 200 people arrived and wandered amongst the Lots which were not 'vouchers'. Most were. Then at 7.30 sharp, the Auction started with a bid for a day out for four at Bath Race Course. It sold quickly, and the Auction 'ship' was under way. With 80 different lots up for grabs, the pace was reasonably fast and furious.

At around half way, a colleague took over from Jonathan as the auctioneer, so Jonathan could sink a pint or three and rest his voice. During this session the new auctioneer (Ken Miller) was somewhat horrified to spot his wife in the audience bidding in three figures for the flat in Jersey for a week. She had already bought one of the Hampers, and he was hoping she would be outbid for the Jersey flat. Towards the end, Ken was heard to say "Will ANYONE give me a bid to beat the last offer (from Kathy his wife)?" Eventually he knocked it down to her, amid peels of laughter from a bunch of his friends, as "sold to the woman sitting next to the lady in red."

All in all, the evening was a great success, and those present had plenty of laughs as well as picking up some amazing bargains.

"I was surprised that no-one bid for the visit to the newspaper newsroom, with a chance to see the massive printing presses running," said Jonathan. "It was one of only three or four items that were 'withdrawn' as we were not prepared to let some generous offers go for 'silly money' on the night."

One family, with a teenage daughter doing media-studies, successfully bid for the visit to the film set with Liam Neeson and many other BIG stars, as well as the tour of Galaxy 101 FM, the visit to the Watchdog TV studios, AND the chance to watch Terry Wogan doing his live Radio 2 show. "We were absolutely THRILLED to get such wonderful chances - although we may be eating bread and water for a month or more!" said Jenny's mother.

There were a small number of e-mail bids for various items, and organising staff were appointed to bid on their behalf, starting with their 'minimum'. Some were successful.

The landlord of The Riverside bought the 1963 Cockburn port for a very healthy sum, though it is not likely that a punter ordering a Port and Lemon will get a sniff of it!

Many thanks to all who contributed items for the auction, and/or those who turned up on the night and dug deep into their pockets. Thanks also to Clare Lauwerys who did such sterling work on the web organisation. It paid off

 

All pictures apart from the first one courtesy of The Bath Chronicle.

LAM Patient in Flora Light Women's Challenge 2002

This year LAM patient Louise Wardle took part in the Flora Light Women's Challenge.

This was a 5km fun run in Hyde Park, London held on 1st Sept 02.

Louise was able to walk the course in about 1 hour 30 minutes (quite an achievement for someone with less than 35% lung function). There were around 25,000 women participating (including one even doing it in a pair of extra high gold stilettos!)

Below is a photo of Louise with 2 friends sporting their LAM T-shirts and Flora finishers medals. Together they raised nearly £900 for LAM Action.

(from left: Emily Moxon, Louise Wardle, Sue Thedens

The London Marathon 2002

2002 was our second year as Golden Bond holders at the London Marathon. All 6 of our runners completed the race, with some excellent times being set as well.

Total sponsorship raised was £5,982 and in addition, so far, we also have the necessary signatures to reclaim tax from the government under the Gift Aid scheme on £1,999 of this which will produce a further £400.

Again, congratulations and heart felt thanks to all our runners:
Pete Yin
Chris Baker
Matt Jones
Tim Harrison
Andy Locker
Jim Hodgson

The photograph here shows Andy Locker making those last few miles look deceptively easy!

 

The London Marathon 2001

Here are two of the wonderful people - Paul Taylor & Hayden Brown - who ran the London Marathon on behalf of LAM Action Considering how far they had just run, they look remarkable well. Between the two of them, they raised about £3700 (and they're still collecting the last contributions in)

My Day at the Palace

I was diagnosed with LAM in 1991 and had a single lung transplant one year ago (19 Jan 00). My colleagues at work recommended me for the MBE as recognition for fund raising for the LAM Trust and for my determination in coping with LAM.

We travelled to London on 15 November 00 for my investiture on 16 November 00. It was a fantastic experience to actually go inside the Palace and my award was presented by the Queen herself. It was the icing on the cake to round off a fantastic year in which I was given my life back- the best gift of all.

Alison Leslie, MBE.

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

Kate Pearson completed a sponsored climb of  the Sydney Harbour Bridge and raised over £500 for LAM Action. Kate is the lady on the far left in the front row.