Ellie Richards

We all feel a little apprehensive when we change our hair style; however Ellie Richards was courageous enough to put her anxieties aside in order to support both her mum and Cancer Research UK. 

After her mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2010 Ellie promised her that she would cut off her elbow length hair if she lost hers with treatment. After finding that the nature of the cancer would mean chemotherapy, Ellie kept her promise and decided to raise money from it too.  She set her target at £2,000 which is ambitious for an individual; however her total currently stands at almost double that.

Furthermore, both Ellie and her mum have donated their long hair to The Little Princess Trust, which is a charity that takes donations of long hair and turns them into wigs for children who have lost theirs for various reasons including chemotherapy.

 As she says on her fundraising page ‘this isn’t just about breast cancer’ but it is also critical to provide emotional support, sticking together through the difficulties and at the age of 15 it is even more poignant that she recognises that. For this, we think she is a hero

http://www.justgiving.com/EllieRichards

  Grace and Flavour

Grace and Flavour is a project which owes its existence to Su Johnston but as she suggests, it took many more minds to make this fantastic idea a reality.

The group, based in east Horsley aims to produce and supply fresh fruit and veg to the Horsley area, particularly for those who struggle to obtain them due to ill health or money troubles. These veg may not be the prettiest, but they are undoubtedly the freshest with as little as an hour between harvest and consumption.

The group not only aims to supply but also to educate the community as to the importance of understanding the relationship and work that goes into growing fruit and veg in a non commercial way.  We managed to catch up with Su and have a chat with her about her and the other heroes working on the project.

Grace and Flavour also won Gold in the Guildford In Bloom awards run by Guildford Borough Council.

You can visit

http://www.graceandflavour.org

to find more information about the project and join the mailing list.

Naomi Calder

In November 2010, Naomi Calder raised money to help 60 albino children at Mukidoma School in Tanzania.  Naomi and 14 other A-level students from George Abbot School in Guildford went to visit the school to help teach life saving and basic first aid skills.

However, Naomi went above and beyond her call of duty by creating a campaign to collect sunscreen which can be used by the albino children to protect their particularly vulnerable skin.  Albinism in Tanzania, which is sat on the equator, results in a life expectancy of just 30 years due to the increased risk of skin cancer. She also appealed for old mobile phones from the Guildford community in order to raise money for computers and teaching materials.

Ben Stonehill

Ben, 22 from Alton, helped administer life saving first aid to his carer Lizzie after she fell ill during a visit. After receiving training from the British Red Cross specifically tailored for those with mobility impairments, Ben who is also blind and autistic was able to instruct his grandparents as to what to do in the emergency situation.

Lizzie suffered an intense migraine, putting her body into a state of shock, fainting three times in of 30 minutes.  During the course of her illness, Ben instructed his grandparents to tell him everything they could see in order for him to make an educated decision as to how to act. He told them to wrap her in a blanket as she was cold and shaking and as she developed a fever, he took the decision to ring 999.

Lizzie was well enough a few days later and was able to return to Ben and thank him for his efforts.  In this case, Ben proved he could think quickly under pressure and make efficient use of his first aid skills.

Paul Nilsson

Not only did Paul have the ambition of cycling the 1,200 miles from Lands End to John O Groats but did so almost entirely off road. Using bridleways, trails and single tracks across the British Countryside, the majority of the ride was conducted unaccompanied, which proves not just a physical but also a mental strain. Starting on the 14^th of July, the journey took Paul 23 days with an average climb of over 5,000 feet a day, which put into perspective, towers 500 feet over Ben Nevis.

The ride was of course, all in aid of a worthy cause. The Teenage Cancer Trust is a group which facilitate adolescents who are undergoing cancer treatment, bringing together patients of similar age who can support each other. As well as this the group enable a medical team of teenage cancer specialists to pool their knowledge and create a unique level of expertise. In the UK on average 6 teenagers are diagnosed with cancer every day.

Paul, from Godalming has raised over £6,000 for the charity and should be considered a local hero.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PaulNilsson

Hannah Welstead and Reza Noori

Two doctors from St Peter's hospital in Chertsey began a yearlong cycle ride in November 2010 to raise funds to pay for health workers in Kenya. Having just arrived back, we would like to recognise them as local heroes.

The journey from London to Cape Town, down the east side of Africa saw them cycle through 13 countries, experiencing a variety of terrain and the extremities of weather. The ride was organised in order assess and raise awareness of the lack of sufficient healthcare in deprived African countries.  Not just this, but the pair were able to raise £5,000 to put towards training through the Kenyan OGRA and ISMAT organisations.

Their journey is well documented and proves that not only have these doctors been able to have a positive influence over a group of vulnerable individuals but also that their journey has significantly influenced them too.

For more information on the ride and how to donate visit:

http://www.panafricancycle.moonfruit.com/

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