Wheels for All - a plea for help

Hi
I would appreciate it if you could spend a few minutes to read our plea for
help.

The Watchtree Wheelers Club is a new group for elderly, disadvantaged &
disabled cycle users. We are establishing a new and unique cycle exercise
area and wide cycle track network for use by Special cycles (hand operated
tricycles, quads, , wheelchair Veloplus, tandem etc) The special bikes will
be kept and maintained on site at Watchtree.
Individuals & groups can not only exercise in the open air with views of the
Lake District hills and Solway Firth but also enjoy the pleasure and
amenities of Europe's largest man made nature reserve.
Watchtree Wheelers cycle facility will have:
access to traffic free roads (former airfield runways)
two mile cycle trail (subject to funding) around the whole nature reserve
access for all to bird hides, bird viewing screens, viewing areas and
woodlands

Watchtree is hoping to secure funding to enable us to improve access for
persons using specially adapted cycles. With your help we can hopefully gain
enough votes and secure the funding.
To Vote, please call 0871 6268822 and pass on to as many contacts as you
know. Vote up to ten times (10p from landlines) up until midnight tonight!

Please consider voting for us. We have already had a few "taster" sessions
in a limited area and with borrowed bicycles, and the looks of total delight
on the faces of the adults and children has been incredible. These are
people who have few opportunities to get out and about in the countryside
and anything we can do to help them is greatly appreciated by them and their
families/carers. More about the project can be found at
http://www.watchtree.co.uk by clicking the WheelsforAll logo on the Home
page

I'm sorry if this is too OT but we are desperate for all votes as we are up
against a school - lots of pupils and lots of relatives of those pupils
means potentially a lot more guaranteed votes than we may have. We are only
small but feel our project will benefit a lot of people, not only locally,
but for the whole region.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this and, if you do vote, our
grateful thanks.

Many thanks

Liz

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:14:19 -0000, "Liz"
wrote:

Hi
I would appreciate it if you could spend a few minutes to read our plea for
help.

The Watchtree Wheelers Club is a new group for elderly, disadvantaged &
disabled cycle users. We are establishing a new and unique cycle exercise
area and wide cycle track network for use by Special cycles (hand operated
tricycles, quads, , wheelchair Veloplus, tandem etc) The special bikes will
be kept and maintained on site at Watchtree.
Individuals & groups can not only exercise in the open air with views of the
Lake District hills and Solway Firth but also enjoy the pleasure and
amenities of Europe's largest man made nature reserve.
Watchtree Wheelers cycle facility will have:
access to traffic free roads (former airfield runways)
two mile cycle trail (subject to funding) around the whole nature reserve
access for all to bird hides, bird viewing screens, viewing areas and
woodlands

Watchtree is hoping to secure funding to enable us to improve access for
persons using specially adapted cycles. With your help we can hopefully gain
enough votes and secure the funding.
To Vote, please call 0871 6268822 and pass on to as many contacts as you
know. Vote up to ten times (10p from landlines) up until midnight tonight!

Please consider voting for us. We have already had a few "taster" sessions
in a limited area and with borrowed bicycles, and the looks of total delight
on the faces of the adults and children has been incredible. These are
people who have few opportunities to get out and about in the countryside
and anything we can do to help them is greatly appreciated by them and their
families/carers. More about the project can be found at
http://www.watchtree.co.uk by clicking the WheelsforAll logo on the Home
page

I'm sorry if this is too OT but we are desperate for all votes as we are up
against a school - lots of pupils and lots of relatives of those pupils
means potentially a lot more guaranteed votes than we may have. We are only
small but feel our project will benefit a lot of people, not only locally,
but for the whole region.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this and, if you do vote, our
grateful thanks.

I nearly fell for this guff - until I saw how they wanted to raise
cash.

On 24 Nov, 19:14, "Liz" wrote:
Hi
I would appreciate it if you could spend a few minutes to read our plea for
help.

The Watchtree Wheelers Club is a new group for elderly, disadvantaged &
disabled cycle users. We are establishing a new and unique cycle exercise
area and wide cycle track network for use by Special cycles (hand operated
tricycles, quads, , wheelchair Veloplus, tandem etc) The special bikes will
be kept and maintained on site at Watchtree.
Individuals & groups can not only exercise in the open air with views of the
Lake District hills and Solway Firth but also enjoy the pleasure and
amenities of Europe's largest man made nature reserve.
Watchtree Wheelers cycle facility will have:
access to traffic free roads (former airfield runways)
two mile cycle trail (subject to funding) around the whole nature reserve
access for all to bird hides, bird viewing screens, viewing areas and
woodlands

Watchtree is hoping to secure funding to enable us to improve access for
persons using specially adapted cycles. With your help we can hopefully gain
enough votes and secure the funding.
To Vote, please call 0871 6268822 and pass on to as many contacts as you
know. Vote up to ten times (10p from landlines) up until midnight tonight!

Please consider voting for us. *We have already had a few "taster" sessions
in a limited area and with borrowed bicycles, and the looks of total delight
on the faces of the adults and children has been incredible. These are
people who have few opportunities to get out and about in the countryside
and anything we can do to help them is greatly appreciated by them and their
families/carers. More about the project can be found athttp://www.watchtree.co.ukby clicking the WheelsforAll logo on the Home
page

I'm sorry if this is too OT but we are desperate for all votes as we are up
against a school - lots of pupils and lots of relatives of those pupils
means potentially a lot more guaranteed votes than we may have. We are only
small but feel our project will benefit a lot of people, not only locally,
but for the whole region.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this and, if you do vote, our
grateful thanks.

Many thanks

Liz

Rather than competing against a school, have you thought of other ways
of raising the necessary funds?
Using the bid material to go for corporate sponsorship, the odd
charitable trust (and not being a charity, would be an odd trust) and
local people.

Hope you win, don't think its likely but I hope you win.

Martin

"Tom Crispin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:14:19 -0000, "Liz"
wrote:

snip

I nearly fell for this guff - until I saw how they wanted to raise
cash.

"Tom Crispin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:14:19 -0000, "Liz"
wrote:

snip

I nearly fell for this guff - until I saw how they wanted to raise
cash.

Hi Tom

I'm not sure what you mean about raising the cash?
We get nothing from the 10p per vote. That has nothing to do with us.
We're not trying to raise the cash, it's already there and allocated through
People's Millions to either our project of another project.
All we want to do is provide some facilities for disabled people to cycle
round the nature reserve - people with few opportunities and less fortunate
than ourselves.

I'm sorry if you feel this is guff.

Liz

wrote in message
...
On 24 Nov, 19:14, "Liz" wrote:
Hi
I would appreciate it if you could spend a few minutes to read our plea
for
help.

The Watchtree Wheelers Club is a new group for elderly, disadvantaged &
disabled cycle users. We are establishing a new and unique cycle exercise
area and wide cycle track network for use by Special cycles (hand operated
tricycles, quads, , wheelchair Veloplus, tandem etc) The special bikes
will
be kept and maintained on site at Watchtree.
Individuals & groups can not only exercise in the open air with views of
the
Lake District hills and Solway Firth but also enjoy the pleasure and
amenities of Europe's largest man made nature reserve.
Watchtree Wheelers cycle facility will have:
access to traffic free roads (former airfield runways)
two mile cycle trail (subject to funding) around the whole nature reserve
access for all to bird hides, bird viewing screens, viewing areas and
woodlands

Watchtree is hoping to secure funding to enable us to improve access for
persons using specially adapted cycles. With your help we can hopefully
gain
enough votes and secure the funding.
To Vote, please call 0871 6268822 and pass on to as many contacts as you
know. Vote up to ten times (10p from landlines) up until midnight tonight!

Please consider voting for us. We have already had a few "taster" sessions
in a limited area and with borrowed bicycles, and the looks of total
delight
on the faces of the adults and children has been incredible. These are
people who have few opportunities to get out and about in the countryside
and anything we can do to help them is greatly appreciated by them and
their
families/carers. More about the project can be found
athttp://www.watchtree.co.ukby clicking the WheelsforAll logo on the Home
page

I'm sorry if this is too OT but we are desperate for all votes as we are
up
against a school - lots of pupils and lots of relatives of those pupils
means potentially a lot more guaranteed votes than we may have. We are
only
small but feel our project will benefit a lot of people, not only locally,
but for the whole region.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this and, if you do vote, our
grateful thanks.

Many thanks

Liz

Rather than competing against a school, have you thought of other ways
of raising the necessary funds?
Using the bid material to go for corporate sponsorship, the odd
charitable trust (and not being a charity, would be an odd trust) and
local people.

Hope you win, don't think its likely but I hope you win.

Hi Martin

To be honest, I can't see why we shouldn't compete against anyone else. The
money is there to be awarded and our project is of at least equal merit. It
will benefit a wider range of people, from a wide area. We don't have a
large support base as a school would with pupils' families to garner support
from parents.
Other sources of funding are also being looked at, and we have a lot of
projects we would like to fund, and have gained funding for, some of which
are for schoolchildren too :-) There's a limit to how much we can milk
corporate sources around here, especially given the current financial
climate.
Sadly we do not have a large catchment of "local people" being a rural
location, and to be honest, this project will reach a lot more than the
local people - it will be a facility for the whole of the north-west and
even the south of Scotland.

Thank you for your support however.

Liz

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:01:42 -0000, "Liz"
wrote:

We get nothing from the 10p per vote.

Exactly! What a desperate and inefficient way to raise money.

Tom Crispin wrote:
On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:01:42 -0000, "Liz"
wrote:

We get nothing from the 10p per vote.

Exactly! What a desperate and inefficient way to raise money.

Surely this is the same way that sustrans were using to raise money from
the Big Lottery fund about a year ago, which was much discussed on URC,
and I am sure you were in favour of it.

Martin.

On 25 Nov, 14:24, Martin wrote:
Tom Crispin wrote:
On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:01:42 -0000, "Liz"
wrote:

We get nothing from the 10p per vote.

Exactly! *What a desperate and inefficient way to raise money.

Surely this is the same way that sustrans were using to raise money from
the Big Lottery fund about a year ago, which was much discussed on URC,
and I am sure you were in favour of it.

Martin.

I really dont see why we always have to knock people on here who ask
fior
help. Or indeed do it ina sneering fashion.
Can we not lighten up and encourage people please

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:14:19 -0000
"Liz" wrote:

Hi
I would appreciate it if you could spend a few minutes to read our
plea for help.

The Watchtree Wheelers Club is a new group for elderly, disadvantaged
& disabled cycle users.

I've known a few of those. But not one who would be interested in
your project.

The special bikes will be kept and maintained on site at Watchtree.

What, one-size-fits-all-(dis)abilities? That's toys, not bikes.
Now if you'd asked about sponsoring bikes adapted to an individual's
special needs, that would be a different story.

pleasure and amenities of Europe's largest man made nature reserve.

"man made nature reserve" ????

We are only small but feel our project will benefit a lot
of people, not only locally, but for the whole region.

Well, that settles it. They'll have to be mobile to get to your
leisure facility. Put in a plea for bikes to help them get there
from around the region instead.

Not realistic? Then you should be campaigning for everyone to have
pleasant open spaces *locally* to where they live. Not funelling them
into some scheme designed by committee and approved by politburo to
tick some "provide for the disabled" box.

--
not me guv

On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:24:18 +0000, Martin
wrote:

Tom Crispin wrote:
On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:01:42 -0000, "Liz"
wrote:

We get nothing from the 10p per vote.

Exactly! What a desperate and inefficient way to raise money.

Surely this is the same way that sustrans were using to raise money from
the Big Lottery fund about a year ago, which was much discussed on URC,
and I am sure you were in favour of it.

I voted online, it cost me nothing extra. If I recall correctly you
could only vote once per phone number or IP address, not ten times.