Get Kids Going! Charity Blog

GREAT BRITAIN TAKE SILVER IN WHEELCHAIR RUGBY EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS!

2011-12-02T11:35:00.002Z

Get Kids Going! support Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby by providing the team with their Paralympic Rugby wheelchairs. The team, pictured above during a recent event, are showing great form in the build up to the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

The Great Britain Wheelchair Rubgy team achieved great success by claiming a silver medal at the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) European Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland on Sunday 9th October.

By claiming the silver medal, the Great Britain team also confirmed their qualification for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby CEO David Pond reflected on his blog :

“It has been a tough tournament – just what we have needed at this stage of our paralympic preparation – and I think we can be proud that our new look team is really starting to shape up.”

Great Britain had defeated previous European Champions Belgium by a single point before succumbing to Sweden 49-42 in the final.

Get Kids Going! has teamed up with Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby (GBWR) to support talented wheelchair rugby players on their journey to sporting excellence. This year Get Kids Going! have supported the 'Florida Project', an 8 week intensive international training camp where some of the brightest young talents in wheelchair rugby come together. Get Kids Going! Will continue to support Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby with bespoke rugby wheelchairs all the way to the 2012 Paralympics. Aaron Phipps from the Florida project said: “Being a part of the Florida project has got me closer to playing for Great Britain. Thanks Get Kids Going!”

CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM GB ON A FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE AT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS!

SHELLY SECOND IN NEW YORK!

2011-12-02T11:22:00.005Z

Shelly Woods in action earlier this year

Shelly Woods, Get Kids Going! wheelchair athlete, surprised the charity by deciding at the last minute to take part in the New York City Marathon Wheelchair Race on Sunday November 6th. Bride-to-be Shelly came second in the Women’s Wheelchair race at the ING New York City Marathon after unexpectedly racing just three weeks prior to her wedding!

Shelly raced to her best ever time in New York – 01:52:52 – but it was not quite enough to win as Amanda McGrory pipped her to the line – gaining revenge for Shelly’s victory at the Bupa Great North Run in September!

Speaking after the race on her Twitter feed , Shelly was quick to offer her congratulations to rival and friend Amanda. The pair have swapped a number of victories in recent months as the build up to the 2012 Paralympic Games in London hots-up!

Shelly is one of Britain’s best medal hopes and has been supported by Get Kids Going! since age fourteen. She believes that without the support of the charity, she would not be competing at the level she is now.

Shelly will be marrying her fiancée Chris in her home town of Lytham St Annes – we wish the couple all the best.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SHELLY ON A PERSONAL BEST IN THE ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHON WHEELCHAIR RACE!

GET KIDS GOING! RUNNERS RULE THE ROYAL PARKS FOUNDATION HALF MARATHON!

2011-10-21T12:29:00.003+01:00

Motahar Hossain (second from left) posing with his medal at the Get Kids Going! stand after the race.

Motahar Hossain was one of the fabulous Get Kids Going! runners who took part in the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon on Sunday 9th October 2011.

Motahar completed the course in a time of 01:42:11 and said after the race that it was a fantastic course and great to run for Get Kids Going!

The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon is one of the most scenic city runs in the world, with a beautiful 13.1 mile autumnal route through four of London’s magnificent Royal Parks and past some of the capital’s most iconic landmarks.

If you, like Motahar, would like to help Get Kids Going!, you can sign up for the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon in 2012 by clicking here and entering and paying online. It’s easy and safe.

WELL DONE TO ALL OUR FANTASTIC RUNNERS AT THE ROYAL PARKS FOUNDATION HALF MARATHON!!!!!

GET KIDS GOING! TEAM BRILLIANT IN BERLIN

2011-10-21T11:56:00.003+01:00

Craig Fenemore was just one of many Get Kids Going! runners who took part in this year’s BMW Berlin Marathon on 25th September 2011.

Craig crossed the finishing line in a time of 03:36:22 and can be seen in the picture above posing with his hard-won medal!

The course is a famously fast and flat 26-mile loop and bills itself as “the fastest marathon in the world”. This loop starts and ends at one of Berlin's most outstanding monuments - the Brandenburg Gate. After the runners set off they will come across famous locations such as the Reichstag, the Rathaus Schoenberg, Potsdamer Platz (near to the line of the Berlin Wall), and many others, before making their way back to the Brandenburg Gate and the finish line!

If you, like Craig, would like to help Get Kids Going! by running the Berlin Marathon, please do sign up for BMW Berlin Marathon 2012 here!!!!!

WELL DONE TO ALL OUR FANTASTIC RUNNERS AT THE BMW BERLIN MARATHON!!

SUPER SHELLY STORMS TO VICTORY AT BUPA GREAT NORTH RUN!

2011-09-28T17:57:00.004+01:00

Shelly Woods retained her wheelchair title and won the Bupa Great North Run title for a fourth time in a time of 50:14 ahead of the USA's Amanda McGrory and Italy's Francesca Porcellato. The race, which took place in Newcastle on Sunday 18th August, is generally considered to be one of the world’s best half marathons and attracted a star studded field.

The victory marks another highlight for Shelly in 2011 following impressive recent performances and continues Shelly’s domination over the Newcastle course. Shelly is a massive fan of Get Kids Going! and has been supported by the charity since aged 14. In an interview last month, Shelly said that without the support of the charity, she would not be competing at the level she is now.

If you too would like to compete in the fantastic Bupa Great North Run in 2012 you can sign up and pay online using the following link . There are also plenty of other events coming up including The Bupa Great South Run in Portsmouth on October 30th 2011; The Virgin London Marathon 2012 ; The Paris Marathon 2012 and many others.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SHELLY ON ANOTHER FANTASTIC VICTORY!

JOSH PARTNERS PM!!

2011-09-28T17:50:00.003+01:00

Get Kids Going! was represented at International Paralympic day on the 8th September in Trafalgar Square as Josh Steels partnered David Cameron in an exhibition tennis match. The pair played a match against London mayor Boris Johnson and his partner as the day helped to promote next year’s Paralympic Games which run from 29th August to 9th September 2012.

Get Kids Going! wheelchair-tennis player Josh has been in fine form recently and has competed all over Europe in the aim of boosting his world ranking. 18 year-old Josh was a runner up in the National Wheelchair Tennis Championships in May and also helped Great Britain to a fourth-placed finish at the World Team Cup, staged in South Africa in April. Josh believes his new Get Kids Going!-funded wheelchair has helped to improve his performances this year and credits the charity with helping him out massively with the financial costs of competing.

Speaking to the BBC just after the event, Get Kids Going! President Sebastian Coe said, “People get Paralympic sport in this country. Our history in the Paralympic movement and that many of our Paralympians are household names gives us a real head start in this country.”

Paralympic tickets are on sale now here …so Get Kids Going! encourages everyone to make the most of this opportunity to see the fantastic Get Kids Going! athletes in action.

SHEIKH STARRING FOR GET KIDS GOING!

2011-09-28T17:47:00.003+01:00

Sheikh Muhadin Sheikh is one of Get Kids Going!’s most talented young wheelchair-racers. Sheikh started wheelchair racing in just 2007- when he first tried the sport on the recommendation of his school teacher in East London. Like many of his fellow athletes, he confesses to a love of speed and says that David Weir, the five-time London Marathon winner, double Paralympic Gold Medallist, and Vice President of Get Kids Going!, is his role model.

This year has been Sheikh’s most successful yet. At the London Marathon in 2011, Sheikh won the wheelchair race 14-17 age category with a time of 12 minutes 30 seconds – meaning that Sheikh is approximately twice as quick as he was in 2009 when he completed the same distance in 25 minutes.

For Sheikh, this massive change is quite simple – it is “all because of Get Kids Going! and the new chair”.

Sheikh says that Get Kids Going! has “changed my life”.

“Before I had a really small chair…I had outgrown it. Get Kids Going! has helped me to set all of these new personal bests”

Sheikh has recently returned from the Swiss Open Championship where he won his heats in the 100m, 200m and 400m. He finished third in the 800m and helped the Great Britain Junior Team to fourth in the 4x400m relay.

Sheikh will be competing in a number of events in the near future, including the BUPA Great North Run – where many get Kids Going! supporters will also be doing their bit for the charity. To get a charity place for the Great North Run 2012 please follow this link

MICKEY SMASHES WHEELCHAIR-RACING WORLD RECORD!

2011-09-28T17:44:00.003+01:00

Mickey Bushell has been wheelchair racing since aged ten when he first tried the sport and was hooked by “the thrill of going fast!” He is now a major medal hope for Britain at the London Paralympics in 2012 and is hoping, of course, to bring home a gold medal. Mickey is massively optimistic about his chances in 2012 and also about British Paralympics in general. He describes the current atmosphere in the Great Britain team as “one great community”.

Mickey surprised some when he burst onto the scene to win a silver medal at the Beijing Paralympics but he will certainly not catch anyone by surprise this time around! In August 2011 Mickey broke his own T53 100m world record in the heats of the US National Championships in Miami. His time of 13.84 was a huge improvement on his previous record of 14.47 and nearly a full second ahead of the second placed athlete.

Mickey says about his support: “The race chair and training grant I received from Get Kids Going! helped me get off to a flying start to win my silver medal in Beijing 2008. I couldn’t carry on and do what I do without Get Kids Going!”

DANIELLE HITS THE BULLS-EYE!

2011-09-27T17:55:00.001+01:00

Disabled archer Danielle Brown achieved massive success during the recent Paralympic World Championships in Torino and, on Tuesday 9th August 2011, was also been named the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Athlete of the Month.

Danielle said that she was “really really pleased with her performance” at the Paralympic World Championships when she came away with an individual gold medal in the Women’s compound, two team silvers (in the mixed team event and the Compound Women’s event), and a new world record. For Danielle it was the culmination of a sustained period of really hard work and the event marked the moment when “everything came together”. Having now won the World Championships three times, Danielle is firmly focused on achieving success at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Danielle has been competing in the sport for eight years having started at the age of fifteen. Get Kids Going! paid for a new wheelchair for Danielle at a stage when her previous chair was so old that she was “pushing around on one arm”! Danielle said: “the prices are astronomical” and that without the massive support of Get Kids Going!, financing her new equipment would have been a struggle.

SHELLY & HANNAH STAR AT DISABILITY ATHLETICS LONDON GRAND PRIX

2011-09-27T17:51:00.002+01:00

Get Kids Going! stars Hannah Cockroft and Shelly Woods starred during the Disability Athletics London Grand Prix in Crystal Palace on the 5th & 6th of August 2011.

Shelly stormed to victory in the T54 800m on Friday night in a time of 1:59.16, beating nearest rival Keira Frie to second place.

Hannah also impressed at Crystal Palace and clocked an impressive time of 1:01.19 in the mixed classification T52-54 women’s 400m on Saturday. Speaking after the race Cockcroft credited her success to her new wheelchair and said:

“I’ve just got a new racing chair so I’m still getting used to it, but it’s great to have a chair that fits. We’re always working to improve something and it’s paying off; I’ve now nailed my start and I’ve got a good top end speed – now it’s just my transition phase I need to work on! It’s all really coming together now”

Meanwhile Shelly was also pleased with her work throughout the weekend, having used the high quality meeting as an opportunity to “try out some different tactics”. Speaking after her victory Shelly said:

“I’m happy. It was a good race. I’m starting to find some good speed now. I’m taking each race as it comes and treating every race as a stepping stone towards the London Paralympics.”

Hannah has been supported by Get Kids Going! for the last year. Shelly has been part of the Get Kids Going! team since age fourteen and believes that without the support of the charity, she would not be competing at the level she is now.

CONGRATULATIONS TO HANNAH AND SHELLY ON A GREAT WEEKEND!

BIG YELLOW FELLOWS GET ON THEIR BIKES FOR GET KIDS GOING!

2011-09-27T17:44:00.002+01:00

Luke McLaughlin, Paul Holmes and Mike Fitzgerald, who all work for the self-storage provider ‘Big Yellow’, are cycling nearly 200 miles over two days for Get Kids Going!, as they undertake the first part of their ‘Gold Challenge’ for the charity.

The boys, who will be competing under the name ‘Big Yellow Fellows’, will be attempting to navigate around all 34 of the Big Yellow stores within the boundary of the M25. Mike Fitzgerald, who has taken on the mantle of team leader, said:

“We had been talking about doing something for charity for a while and with the Olympics approaching, endurance cycling seems like the perfect thing to do.”

Mike went on to admit that “we are all comfortable on a bike but I have to admit the idea of cycling 191 miles over two days has taken some getting used to!”

In addition to endurance cycling, the Big Yellow Fellows will also be competing in five other Olympic events over the next few months as part of the Gold Challenge. If you are interested in taking part in the Gold Challenge yourself then please do click on the link above. Alternatively you can call the office on 020 7481 8110 or email info@getkidsgoing.com for further information.

If you would like to sponsor the Big Yellow Fellows then please do help them out by visiting their fundraising page

GOOD LUCK TO THE BIG YELLOW FELLOWS!

H&T PAWNBROKERS RAISE FUNDS FOR GET KIDS GOING!

2011-09-27T17:39:00.003+01:00

Having joined forces at the beginning of the year, H&T Pawnbrokers has been orchestrating a series of company-wide fundraising days to support Get Kids Going!

The first, on the 16th July, featured staff giving away balloons, running drawing competitions, working in fancy dress, and giving away loads of sweets and cakes! The Fareham and Portsmouth stores even held a non-stop bike ride where staff took it in turns to jump on an exercise bike for the whole day. Having thoroughly exhausted themselves in the name of charity, they certainly deserved a break on the following day.

Get Kids Going! are proud to be associated with H&T Pawnbrokers and congratulate them on making it to their first £10k (that’s pounds sterling...not kilometres on the exercise bike!).

CONGRATS TO H&T PAWNBROKERS! HERE’S TO THE NEXT £10K!

DEREK MAKING GOOD PROGRESS IN EPIC WALK

2011-09-16T16:36:00.004+01:00

Get Kids Going! was delighted to catch up with Derek on Monday 22nd August to talk to him about his progress through a charity walk from Leeds to Plymouth and back again (a distance of over 700 miles). Speaking from a service station in Worcester, before a 26 mile walk to Gloucester the following day, Derek admitted to “putting his feet up for a while!”

Derek, who has raised nearly £57,000.00 for charity so far, chose Get Kids Going! as one of his causes because he is “deeply impressed with the aims of the charity and giving disabled people the wonderful opportunity of participating in sport”.
After two years of preparation, Derek was delighted to finally be on the way and confessed to having his 55lb rucksack packed over a week before the start date! Derek is fully aware of the difficulties of the challenge and has already endured a number of “hard times” (including several detours which have added extra miles) in amongst the week that he has been walking. Derek can, however, look forward to celebrating his 50th birthday in the town of Plymouth where he was born, and to running the Great North Run for Get Kids Going! just two days after he is scheduled to return home!

Get Kids Going! is delighted to have long-term supporter Derek Brown on the team for this amazing adventure. We wish him every success during his walk.
If you would like to contribute to Derek’s fundraising then please visit his website at www.derekswalk2011.org . Once there, it is possible to support Get Kids Going! by clicking the ‘Sponsor Derek’ box, and picking Get Kids Going!

Derek also has a Twitter page which can be viewed even without a twitter account), where he will be putting updates and photos from each day of his walk.

KEEP GOING DEREK!

ALEX AND NIKI CROWNED SAILING WORLD CHAMPS!

2011-07-12T11:42:00.004+01:00

Get Kids Going! disabled sailors Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell were crowned SKUD World champions for the third consecutive year in the IFDS Disabled Sailing Combined World Championships in Weymouth last week (2nd-8th July 2011).

The pair are widely recognised as the dominant force in British and world SCUD 18 sailing, and led from start to finish during testing conditions. A second and fourth place on the penultimate day secured the victory and meant that the team were able to celebrate victory with a day to spare. The victory is perhaps all the sweeter for the fact that it took place in home waters, in the venue which will host the sailing competitions during the 2012 Paralympics.

Speaking after the race, Alex said “We couldn’t have done it without the fantastic support of Get Kids Going!”

“We had to work really hard for it today but managed to get the job done. Our strength this week has been our consistency across the range of conditions, we’ve hit a few adverse moments and day two wasn’t exactly a sparkling day for us but we pushed on through the whole time and just made sure we stuck it out. My shoulder’s been niggling all week, so I’ve had a lot of physio, so it’s not just us there are a lot of other people who make your campaign what it is. I’m more than excited to win in a 20-boat fleet on home waters in the Paralympic venue, we couldn’t have asked for anything more than that.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALEX AND NIKI ON ANOTHER FANTASTIC RESULT!!

LOUISE SERVES UP TRIPLE TENNIS TITLE!

2011-07-12T11:31:00.002+01:00

Get Kids Going! was delighted to talk with wheelchair-tennis star Louise Hunt after a series of impressive performances in the last month. Louise won her third women's doubles wheelchair tennis title in as many weeks after partnering Germany's Bianca Osterer to victory at the Arcotel-Rezidencija Open in Zagreb, Croatia on 28th June 2011. The pair triumphed 6-1, 6-2 to round off a hugely successful European clay court tour.

Her success during the Croatian Open was matched by doubles’ titles at the Czech Open and the Slovakian Open. Louise narrowly missed out on Singles titles during the same tournaments but finished as a semi-finalist in one and runner-up at the other two.

During the last year Louise has beaten two players in the top 15, something that has contributed to what she describes as her “best year so far”. Louise is firmly on track to make the Olympic team for London 2012 and she is aiming to medal by the time the Rio Olympics come round in 2016.

Louise started playing tennis at the age of just 5 and she believes it is a sport she was always “destined to play!” Louise was actually the recipient of the first ever wheelchair distributed by Get Kids Going, which she received in 1997 at the age of seven. The support she has received from Get Kids Going! has “meant the absolute world to me. I could not have done what I have without Get Kids Going!”.

Louise will be competing in the British Open from 18th- 25th July in Nottingham.

JOSH GAINS ACE EXPERIENCE AT CROATIAN TENNIS OPEN

2011-07-12T11:13:00.003+01:00

Get Kids Going! wheelchair-tennis star Josh Steels recently returned home from Croatia where he put up an excellent fight against the third seed, and world number 48, in the first round of the International Federation event in Zagreb on 23rd June. Despite the defeat, the Great Britain Junior number one was upbeat about his performance against such a top-level player, describing himself as “very happy with the way I played”.

Josh has been playing tennis for four years, and he is now targeting as many senior ranking events as possible in order to fulfil his dreams of representing Great Britain at the 2012 Paralympics. He is currently having an impressive year, and despite being only eighteen, was a runner up in the National Wheelchair Tennis Championships in May and also helped Great Britain to a fourth-placed finish at the World Team Cup, staged in South Africa in April.

Josh put his impressive new performances down to his new Get Kids Going! tennis wheelchair which was given to him by the charity in May this year! We wish Josh all the best for his next events as he attempts to move up the rankings.

KEEP GOING JOSH!

David Weir Wins 5th Virgin London Marathon

2011-06-07T20:13:00.006+01:00

The Get Kids Going! team enjoyed unprecedented success at the 2011 Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 17th April. Vice President David Weir claimed a historic fifth title in the Men’s Wheelchair Race with a record time of 1hr 30mins 5secs. David’s victory on Sunday, which The Daily Telegraph described as ‘tactical perfection”, makes him the most successful male wheelchair athlete in the race’s history. In the Women’s Wheelchair Race, Shelly Woods, who has been supported by Get Kids Going! from the age of fourteen, almost made it a double success before she was ‘pipped to the post’ for silver and a time of 1hr 46mins 31secs. Get Kids Going! Juniors Sheikh Muhadin Skeikh and Jake Williamson rounded off a hugely satisfying day by claiming Gold and Silver in the Junior Wheelchair Race with times of 12mins 41secs and 14mins 6secs respectively.

Speaking to Get Kids Going! before the marathon, David and Shelly were keen to point out just how much the charity has helped in the development of their sporting careers. Get Kids Going! has helped to buy the expensive equipment they have both needed to compete at an advanced level. As one in a family of three Shelly notes that it was simply impossible for her parents to afford the sports wheelchairs she needed to advance as an athlete. Shelly continued, wheelchair racing is “not for the faint-hearted. To be honest, it’s a really hard sport to be good at...it takes a lot of time…and you’re really on your own out there”. Having overcome financial and societal barriers, Shelly and David are optimistic about the future of disability sport in Britain. David said that youngsters now have “a lot more choice available” – improvements in technology have meant that sports practiced by just a handful of disabled youngsters are now far more accessible with the right support from charities like Get Kids Going!.

Both athletes are now setting their sights on London 2012 Paralympic Games, and with under 500 days remaining, the sense of anticipation is growing. Shelly says: “It’s exciting…I remember watching Athens and Sydney on TV…seeing Tanni Grey-Thompson…and I was thinking…ooh can I do that?” Get Kids Going! hopes that these inspiring athletes will be igniting the same dreams in a new generation of athletes.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR WONDERFUL YOUNG ATHLETES

Heartache for David Weir

2010-06-11T12:10:00.001+01:00

Vice President of Get Kids Going! and four times winner of the Men’s wheelchair race at the London Marathon, David Weir suffered two punctures, ending his hopes of winning the 2010 Virgin London Marathon.

Unfortunately, due to recently completed road works and the uneven nature of the surface along the 26.2 mile course, David picked up a puncture at the 15 mile mark and then one at 21 miles, effectively ending the chances of him winning the race. As David said “The first wasn't so bad as it was on the front of my wheelchair which isn't as much of a problem as there's not much weight on it. At the 21-mile marker, one of my rear tyres went completely flat and I knew it was game over. It was like doing an extra 10 miles”.

Leading at the half way mark at Tower Bridge, David was in a commanding position, holding a three minute lead over his nearest rival. However, as disaster struck shortly afterwards, it allowed some of the other competitors to overtake him near the finish and pip him to the coveted prize.

It was a cruel blow for David who had come into the race in top form. Along with the help of his coach, Jenny Archer and the charity Get Kids Going who kindly supply his racing wheelchair, David was in the best shape of his life. He saw the Virgin London Marathon as a way to show the world that he will be one of the hot favourites for a gold medal in the marathon event at the 2012 Olympics.

Despite the disappointment, David hopes to compete in next year’s race. If you would like to participate in the 2011 Virgin London Marathon for Get Kids Going then please click on the following link:

http://www.getkidsgoing.com/join-marathon.html

We would love to have you on our team!

Congratulations The Daily Telegraph and BBC radio.

2009-11-23T16:14:00.001Z

The International Paralympics committee hosted the Paralympic’s award gala on Sunday, November 22, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The awards gala is held after every Paralympics to honour all the top athletes, officials, international media and contributors from the scientific and academic world who have made significant contributions to the Paralympic games in Beijing 2008.

Great Britain won awards in the Radio and Print media categories. The Daily Telegraph gave the best print/internet coverage of the 2008 Paralympics, and BBC Radio won best radio coverage. The Daily Telegraph is already writing about the upcoming London 2012 Paralympic games. BBC radio Paralympic game coverage can still be found on their website. The awards are given out to media networks that have promoted and supported the Paralympic athletes. Congratulations to The Daily Telegraph and BBC radio.

For more information about the Paralympic award gala please go to: www.paralympic.org

Athlete Series

2009-11-17T12:01:00.002Z

Get Kids Going! is starting a series on some of our athletes. We want to let the public know who is benefitting from all of their gracious donations. Get Kids Going! has provided wheelchairs for some of the top disabled athletes in the world during the course of their career like David Weir and Shelly Woods. We also provide support for up and coming athletic stars who are the next Paralympic hopefuls like Mickey Bushell, Matt Skelhon, and Ali Jawad.

Please stop and take a look on our Hot News! page about the new "hot new" athletes being supported by Get Kids Going! We love supporting all of these athletes and we want to continue to do so. Please contact Get Kids going about running at 0207 481 8110 or email us at info@getkidsgoing.com

The Virgin London Marathon Committe plans London's Paralympic marathon course

2009-11-03T11:13:00.006Z

The Virgin London marathon committee has been picked by the Olympic planning committee to design the Olympic and Paralympic marathon route for the London 2012 competition. In a press release put up on the London marathon's website, The Virgin London Marathon officials will no only design a new marathon route that shows off London's landmark, but will provide the staff and equipment for the Olympics and Paralympics for no cost.

The Virgin London Marathon is one of the worlds most popular and influential marathons in the world today with over 35,000 participating runners from all over the world. The Olympic and Paralympic committee picked the organizers from the London Marathon to design the Olympic course, because they feel that “organizers have a vast wealth of expertise which will prove invaluable as we work to deliver the Marathon events in 2012.” The Olympic committee wants to show off London's assets by having a race course that runs by all of London’s famous sites.

To read more about the press release follow this link:

http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/news-and-media/news-and-media/london2012-appoints-london-marathon/

BUPA Great South Run followup

2009-10-29T13:34:00.004Z

The BUPA Great South Run went very well for the Get Kids Going! team. The team arrived a day early to Portsmouth and stayed overnight in order to prepare and give last minute advice. Early Sunday October 26, the team headed to the race course to set up. They were eager to greet all the Get Kids Going! runners. Around 8 am, excited runners began showing up with their families, chatting and laughing. We were delighted to see such a turnout of runners.

The race began at 10:30am. Runners got to enjoy a beautiful run through the Southsea docks. David Fallows was the first male Get Kids Going! team member to cross the finish line and Gayle Sissons was the first female Get Kids Going! team member to cross the finish line. Over the next few hours, The Get Kids Going! team welcomed back all of our runners to the charity table for some post run refreshments and free massages! We had a great team of masseuses! And we thank them for their time and energy! We applaud all of the Get Kids Going! team members that came out to run! And we hope to see you next year!

New York Marathon events!

2009-10-28T14:46:00.004Z

Get Kids Going! is excited to have so many runners participating this year! We will continue our New York City Marathon traditional Drink Party. The race will be run on Sunday November 1st, so the Get Kids Going! team is throwing a big welcome drinks party on Friday, October 30th at The Travel Inn on West 42nd street. The party is going to be a lot of fun! This will be the opportunity to get to meet and greet all the other Get Kids Going! runners and team members. The Get Kids Going! support team wants to take a big team photo, so runners should bring their Get Kids Going! T-shirts!

There are some great free running events Get Kids Going! recommends earlier in the weekend! Two free group runs are being conducted, one on Friday and one on Saturday morning by Sports Tours International. The first run is called the “Breakfast Run”. Information about the run will be posted in the Hotel Message board. The distance has not been posted yet, but the run will be a great chance to stretch your legs after sitting on the airplane

The second run is The Continental Airlines International Friendship Run which takes place on Saturday morning near the United Nations Building on First Avenue and 47th street. The event will be a leisurely 4k jog from the United Nations Building to Central Park. Running to Central Park will be a beautiful run and a great chance to see more of the famous city. The run is free and everyone can participate. The Friendship run will be a great warm up the next day’s race. Please wear your Get Kids Going! running T-shirts and your Union Jack flag. Show pride for your charity and your country! We hope to see you then!

The ING New York Marathon!

2009-10-26T13:57:00.002Z

The ING New York Marathon is fast approaching. In less then ten days, over 63,000 runners will flood the New York City streets to compete in one of running's most famous races. Over 100,000 runners submitted applications into the lottery for this years race. The fees have risen this year to $171 for American entrants and to $231 for out of country applicants. This year's race course runs though New York’s five neighbourhoods: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan.

Get Kids Going! is excited to be attending the ING New York Marathon for the 13th year in a row. Get Kids Going! has a great sized team! But not all the competitors are running, Get Kids Going! is delighted to say that Paralympic metalist Shelly Woods is competing in the wheelchair race starting 50 minutes before the runners. Jane, the CEO of Get Kids Going! and former 3 time Get Kids Going! Marathon finisher says “We are delighted to have Shelly Woods participating in the wheelchair race, and hope that all the Get Kids Going! runners have a great time and a fantastic run on race day”. The Get Kids Going! team anticipates a great time! And will be cheering all our amazing runners on from the 25th mile marker!

The BUPA Great South Run this weekend!

2009-10-22T14:35:00.006+01:00

This Sunday, October 25th the Get Kids Going! team is headed Portsmouth for the BUPA Great South Run for its 7th year in a row! We have a large team of over 200 athletes ready to run for our children! There will be over 21,000 runner’s total, running on a flat, fast paced course through the Southsea docks. Participants will get a chance to see some of England’s naval history while they run, including the HMS Victory and the HMS Warrior 1860.

We wish all runners luck on their 10 miles run! Remember to stop by the Get Kids Going! tent in the charity village next to Castle Field (No. 37 avenue D), and pick up your T-shirt before the race so you can show off your team spirit! After the race, stop by the Get Kids Going! tent again for a cup of Hot Tea or Coffee, Orange Juice, and a Mars Bar.

The race starts at 10:40am, but we advise you get to the race location at 9:00am just to make sure you are there with plenty of time! Good Luck! We will see you there!

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon!

2009-10-21T15:52:00.005+01:00

The Bank of America Chicago Mararthon!

The Get Kids Going! team had not one, but two fantastic races on Sunday October 11, 2009. A small Get Kids Going! team participated in The Bank of America Chicago Marathon through Chicago’s beautiful Grant Park. The Get Kids Going! charity had 8 gracious runners who flew from England to America to raise money for our disabled children.

The weather, unlike the past two years, was cold, hovering around -4 C, but was good for running. Get Kids Going! Runner and Chicago Marathon participant Steve Clark told Get Kids Going! that, “people handled the weather well. Once you got started running your body warmed up.” Over 35,000 runners participated in this year’s race, and the amount of money raised during the marathon has not been counted yet. But Get Kids Going! hopes to have raised over £5,000 pounds. Sign up for next year's race by calling Get Kids Going! at 020 7481 8110

The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon

2009-10-15T14:20:00.009+01:00

Get Kids Going! had a fantastic team of runners in this year's Royal Parks Foundation London Half Marathon. Over 250 runners kindly ran for Get Kids Going!

The field of runners included Sue McAlister (pictured here on right) with the CEO of Get Kids Going Jane!

The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon took place on Sunday on October 11, 2009 through London’s beautiful Hyde Park. The weather was good for running--cool but dry. The run started in Hyde Park, and continued by many historical landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Admiralty Arch, and circled back to finish at the start point. Members of the Get Kids Going! team celebrated the end of the race by returning to the team tent, and enjoying victory refreshments for them and their families.

The overall race consisted of 15,000 runners who helped meet the race organizer's goal to raise over £2 million for charity. The Get Kids Going! team had a very successful race, hoping to have raised over £40,000 to provide wheelchairs for the many disabled children who need our help of reaching their dreams of one day being able to play sports. Sign up for next year’s team in the Royal Park Half Marathon at http://www.getkidsgoing.com/applynow.htm or call the Get Kids Going office at 020 7481 8110.

Run to the Beat 2009

2009-01-26T20:19:00.003Z

Run to the Beat is a unique new London Half Marathon with over 19 music stations around the course. It's sponsored by Sony Ericsson and will be staged in September this year. Get Kids Going! has over 700 entry places for this fantastic run.

To enter visit our page on Run to the Beat 2009 or call 0207 481 8110

Run Paris Marathon 2009 for Get Kids Going!

2009-01-13T01:43:00.003Z

We have lots of guaranteed entry places available for the Paris Marathon 2009 just waiting to be filled! So if you are looking for a great alternative to the Flora London Marathon, this would be just the ticket.

The Paris Marathon takes place on Sunday 5th April 2009. It's a fantastic race taking which starts from the Champs Élysées Avenue to Foch Avenue running through Bastille, Nation, Vincennes and les Tuileries. Last year 37,000 competitors took part representing 93 countries.

Get Kids Going! is a unique, national charity that gives disabled children and young people the wonderful opportunity of participating in sport. By running the Paris Marathon for us, you can help us to turn their dreams into reality.

Entry details for the Paris Marathon are on our website, please apply online or call us on 0207 481 8110 and we'll send you an entry pack.

David Weir awarded MBE

2009-01-09T11:53:00.000Z

World record holder and Get Kids Going!'s Vice President David Weir has been nominated for an MBE in the Queen’s New Years honours. David received the honour for his services to disabled sport.

This is a double award for David who became BBC London 2008 disabled athlete in December. David spends much of his time encouraging disabled children to get involved in sport by visiting schools and training sessions.

In an interview with Sutton Guardian he said "Sport gives confidence to young people, particularly disabled children and it's a great buzz to see them taking it up, especially wheelchair racing.

"I get a real boost giving them advice and then seeing them do well and its good to see disabled sport getting more funding and coverage.

"I do feel slightly weird about this nomination as I feel I'm just normal David Weir.

"Sometimes I get asked for my authograph and it is a strange experience, but I do enjoy being a role model for disabled sport."

At Get Kids Going! we'd like to congratulate David for his MBE and thank him for the great work he does for our charity.

Get Kids Going! 2008 Athletes Roundup

2008-12-29T18:01:00.002Z

Get Kids Going! young disabled athletes had a fantastic year in 2008. David Weir who has been supported by the charity for over 5 years won two Paralympic Gold Medals in wheelchair racing at the Beijing Paralympics in October. David also went on to win a Silver and Bronze Medal! So in total David won 4 paralympic medals for his country and Get Kids Going!

Matt Skelhon, another young Get Kids Going! disabled athlete won the only gold medal in the shooting at Bejing Parlaympics. Matt is a member of the Get Kids Going! athletes team when the charity supports him by providing Matt with a shooting sport wheelchair at a cost of £3,000.

Shelly Woods from Blackpool won a Silver Medal at the Beijing Paralympics along with Mickey Bushell. Both are Get Kids Going! young disabled athletes and are two of the best wheelchair racers in the world.

Get Kids Going! is also providing Tim Farr, Ben Sneesby and Pam with Monoskis so they can all take part in this season disable skiing in the Alps and America. The mono skis cost a min. of £3,000 each. All three will be taking part in the British Land Championships at Meribel from March 29th to April 4th. Ben will also be skiing at Villars 24hr Skiing comp, Brookie Bowl Courcheval and a weeks training in Andorra. Pam, age 28yrs lives in Scotland, Aberdeen. Ben, age 13yrs lives a High Wycombe in Bucks and Tim, age 23yrs, lives in Twickenham, London. All three hope to compete at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympic Games for Get Kids Going! and Great Britain.

David Weir on A Question of Sport

2008-12-13T03:36:00.002Z

Paralympic Champion David Weir and Get Kids Going!'s Vice President was on the BBC's A Question of Sport on 12th December 2008.

He was part of the popular quiz show with team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell. Also on the show were French rugby star Raphael Ibanez, Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Olympic gymnastic silver medallist Louis Smith.

David has been supported by Get Kids Going! for many years. On 13 April 2008, David won his third London Marathon in a row, and his fourth in total. Weir also won four medals (two golds, a silver and a bronze) at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Games, which were his third Games.

For more about David Weir please visit our website.

L’Etape du Tour Team

2008-07-14T17:31:00.001+01:00

Over 30 cyclists from across the country joined 8,500 other riders to cycle 116 miles in searing heat through the Pyrenees.

The team lined up with a host of international cyclists to tackle one of the toughest stages in the Etape du Tour annual amateur race, which takes place before the main Tour de France riders tackle the course.

Dr Kevin Blyth, from Glasgow said: "It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"The heat in France was unbelievable, with temperatures up to 100F, and the course was incredibly demanding.

"I had to put in a lot of training - cycling into work every day and up to 100 miles at the weekend.

"My legs are aching but it was a fantastic experience."

Each year, Tour de France organisers select one stage from the race and offer riders of all ages the chance to sample the course.

Around 2,000 of the 8,500 riders fail to reach the finish line each year because the route is so physically demanding.

David Butler from The Personal Training Centre, which kindly hold training days for the Get Kids Going running team, also took part and was so enthused by the event he has volunteered to be team leader next year.

“It was an amazing experience, but I can’t wait to do it again”, he said.

We would like to thank every member of Get Kids Going's L'Etape du Tour team the best of luck for their hard work and the money they raised from the event.

If you would like to take part in L'Etape du Tour in 2009 we'd also be delighted to hear from you. Please email us or call 0207 481 8110.

Victories and photos from The Great South Run

2005-10-24T17:45:00.004+01:00

On another gloriously sunny day, over 120 runners took part in the Great South Run in October for Get Kids Going! Below are just a few pictures from the day.

Once again Get Kids Going! wheelchair athlete, David Weir, put in a spectacular performance and won the men's race.

David finished in 35 minutes 15 seconds, over two minutes ahead of Get Kids Going!'s Tushar Patel, who came second and with the 2004 winner Kenny Herriot back in third position.

David and Tushar are pictured on the awards podium with the Mayor of Portsmouth

We also see Tushar later with the GB wheelchair squad coach, Get Kids Going!'s Paul Hunt (left) and Jane:

Shelly Woods also gave a great performance and won the women's race. Shelly Woods achieved a time of 44 minutes, 1 second, over the 10-mile course, and is seen below triumphantly crossing the finishing line.

Shelly is also pictured below with Jane:

Shelly then picked up her medal from the Mayor of Portsmouth

The rest our runners looked forward to a well deserved massage in the Get Kids Going! marquee at the end of the race:

We'd like to offer our congratulations and thanks to all the runners who took part in the race for us. If you would like to enter the Great South Run 2009 please visit our website and apply online.

Photos from the Great North Run

2005-10-13T17:52:00.002+01:00

Over 700 runners took part in the 25th Great North Run in September for Get Kids Going! Below are just a few pictures from the day.

Our first picture above shows our youngest runner, five year old Sophie Stephenson with the Get Kids Going cheering team at the Junior Great North Run on Saturday 17th September.

You have already seen our wheelchair athletes in the previous story, but other wheelchair athletes from Get Kids Going! did not let the side down even if they weren't in the top 3 or four positions.

Steve Edwards is pictured below:

We also had some great fancy dress runners:

From mother and daughter team, Alexandra and Sue Lucas

To Graham Hadfield as a dragon, pictured below with Jane:

More runners were snapped by the BBC throughout the day

At the end of the race runners congregated outside the Get Kids Going! marquee where a queue began for the well earned and well deserved massages.

Here are some runners having their massages:

We'd like to offer our congratulations and thanks to all the runners who took part in the race for us. If you would like to enter the 2009 Great North Run please visit our website and apply online.

Shelly & David set new course records at the Great North Run

2005-09-19T17:41:00.000+01:00

Get Kids Going's top wheelchair athletes, David Weir and Shelly Woods set new British and course records to win the Great North Run wheelchair races on the 18th September.

David Weir, who last won the Great North Run in 2003, achieved an impressive 42 minutes 35 seconds over the 13.1 mile course to beat David Holding's previous record of 44.25.

Get Kids Going's Tushar Patel was second, almost two minutes back, with German Ralph Brunner third.

Our very own Shelly Woods also finished in the record time of 50 minutes 7 seconds, beating our Vice President Dame Tanni Grey Thompson's record of 52.17.

Tanni came 5th in the race.

Shelly beat Francesca Porcellato by 39 seconds to win the event.

Shelly raced much of the course with coach Jason Gill, and had finished second to Francesca in the London Marathon and also at the Great Manchester Run but we wish her the best of luck as she is now set to race in the Berlin Marathon on the 25th September.

We'd like to send congratulations from everyone at Get Kids Going! to David and Shelley who were also interviewed live on BBC TV by Sue Barker.

Tushar Patel, came 2nd. Brian Alldis also did extremely well and came fifth in the senior men's race with a time of 46.10 minutes

We'd like to offer our congratulations to our entire wheelchair team and thanks to all the runners who took part in the race for us. If you would like to enter the 2009 Great North Run please visit our website and apply online.

Amazing photos from our brave Parachute jumpers

2005-09-19T17:28:00.000+01:00

Over 30,000 people make their first parachute jump each year, but over ten times that amount think about doing one. But when you see the excitement on the faces of some of our skydivers, hopefully you will be tempted to join them.

Jenny Robbins and Jane Finlay called themselves our “Golden Oldies” and show that you’re never too old to make the plunge:

Jane said: “The jump was fantastic! An amazing experience. I am delighted to have done it for Get Kids Going - a great charity - and our fundraising might get someone to the 2012 Olympics!”

Jane and Jenny have raised an amazing £3,000 from their tandem Parachute jumps which they completed at the Netheravon Parachute centre near Salisbury.

Jenny who works at the Cranmore Prep school in Leatherhead sent round a picture of the skydive after the event to prove she had done it and the money came pouring in.

Meanwhile Derek Barrett, Marco Giudice and Jonathon Silva decided to do solo parachute jumps which involved a two day adventure at the London Parachute Centre in High Wycombe.

Our wheelchair athletes on Blue Peter

2005-09-04T17:38:00.000+01:00

Mickey Bushell, David Weir, Tushar Patel, Shelly Woods and Brian Alldis were five out of seven wheelchair athletes who set off to re-create some of the speeds experienced at the Tunnel 2K race and were filmed by the BBC's Blue Peter.

In an earlier piece Shelly and Mickey displayed their skills by navigating around giant bean bags in the famous Blue Peter studios in West London.

In the actual 2K Tunnel race Mickey came 17th and completed the course in 8 minutes and three seconds. The winner was Jeff Adams, from Canada, coming in at four minutes 40.1 seconds through the tunnel, he beat our very own David Weir into second place.

However, Tushar Patel clocked the course's fastest speed of 41.4mph.

Australian Eliza Stankovic won the women's event with Get Kids Going! Shelly Woods second and our vice president Dame Tanni Grey Thompson came third.

In the mock race at the BBC, Tushar also came in just slightly ahead of David Weir.

If you would like to see a video of the Blue Peter story, click here.

More Golds for David Weir

2005-08-14T17:34:00.000+01:00

David scored a double victory in the 200m wheelchair demonstration race and he also won the 100m race on the 14th August.

"I can't believe it, to be the winner here in two events," said David.

"I've been working on my work around the bends although I didn't get as good a start as I wanted."

We wish David every success when he takes part in the European Open Paralympic Championships, which begin next week in Espoo, Finland.

"I'll be racing the same guys again at the European Championships which will be tough as the track is slower but the support I had at Helsinki was fantastic," he added.

Get Kids Going! at the World's Largest Triathlon

2005-08-08T17:36:00.000+01:00

The two day event was held at London's Excel Centre, the Docklands, around Westminster and Canary Wharf.

A Get Kids Going! wheelchair team also competed in the triathlon made up of our wheelchair athletes - Mickey Bushell, Brian Alldis and Kevin Ward. David Butler from the London Fitness Centre did the cycle leg of the event for Mickey, which was a tremendous achievement as he was part of the L'Etape du Tour team only two weeks earlier, and Jennifer Hall did the swim for the entire wheelchair team.

If you feel like taking part in either of these challenges in The London Triathlon in 2009 or the London Duathlon, please get in touch and we'll send you further details. Please apply online at http://www.getkidsgoing.com/applynow.htm

More records broken at World Junior Championships

2005-08-03T17:26:00.000+01:00

The first IWAS (International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation) World Junior Championships was held at Stoke Mandeville Stadium on 6th & 7th July 2005. Once again Get Kids Going! wheelchair athletes who formed a major part of the Great British (GB) squad, gave outstanding performances.

Nathan Stephens from Bridgend was the dominant figure in the under-18 field events, winning the shot, discus and javelin titles.

Sarah Loughran enjoyed double success, taking the under-21 sprint and middle-distance titles.

Mickey Bushell won the under-16 combined sprints (100 and 200m) crown. Coach, Paul Hunt, an inspiring Get Kids Going! athlete reported: “The 200m was the first event on the 7th, again Mickey had an early start, but a gust of wind on the bend helped his opposition go past, Mickey closed the gap down the home straight but ran out distance to take them he finished 3rd with a time of 31.95 sec. This was enough to earn Mickey the under 16's world Sprints championship.”

Sam Scott of Wales won the under-16 javelin and discus with a new World records for both events.

Brian Alldis, who was named in the GB team for the European Championships in Finland next month, finished second in his events to Switzerland's Marcel Hug.

Paul Hunt, provided a brilliant report of the track events and told how the team heard an exciting announcement on the 6th:

“Everyone made their way to the café to wait for the 2012 announcement. Thankfully it was the decision we all dreamed of… London hosting the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012. Everyone cheered - it was great to see so many happy faces.”

“Personally I would like to congratulate the whole Great Britain team in making the competition a great success for the country. I endeavour to make the team bigger for next year's event.”

Louise Hunt increases her world ranking in wheelchair tennis

2005-01-01T17:24:00.000Z

She was part of the World Cup team squad in Holland in July, and Louise played extremely well and was very happy to beat one of the Dutch male players in a 3rd set tie break.

She also attended the Dutch Open and performed very well. Unfortunately she was drawn against the number one seed in her 1st match, but she had more success in her doubles games.

Louise was in The 16th British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships last week, but was knocked out by the World number four Dutch player, however, she still managed to achieve 4 deuces.

Louise’s mum Linda said: “On the 8th August, we spent the day at the Stoke Mandeville track with Tanni Grey-Thompson, her mentor, which was fantastic as she taught Louise a huge amount, especially on her pushing technique. She also set up Louise’s racing chair differently, which we did not know how to do, and it is now much more comfortable and gives a much better style.

“This was televised and shown on Central News. They also did a live radio interview, so all in all an exciting day.”