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Sue Ryder Care Resident takes on virtual rowing trip

3 September 2008

A resident at Sue Ryder Care – The Chantry is taking on a big challenge in aid of the charity.

Adrian Sluce, 42 and a keen gym attendee, has set his sights on a virtual rowing trip from London to Paris. 

Adrian was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 31 and has been a resident at Sue Ryder Care – The Chantry since May 2007.  Adrian has been attending Gainsborough Sports Centre once a week, Ipswich for many months now and was looking for a way to support Sue Ryder Care and raise much needed funds.  The fundraising team and staff at the Sports Centre devised the virtual London to Paris rowing trip which will see Adrian cover 771km in distance at a ratio of 10 metres rowed to 1 km on the rowing machine.

The journey from London to Paris will virtually take Adrian under Westminster Bridge down the Thames and around North Foreland to Dover   From Dover he will cross the Channel to Le Havre, rowing up the Seine to Rouen and then continuing on through six locks to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Commenting on his pending ‘trip’, Adrian said:  “I wanted to find a way to support Sue Ryder Care and raise money towards covering the costs of more activities for residents and day care attendees at The Chantry.  I know how much being busy and taking part in activities can build self-esteem.  Sue Ryder Care gives me the opportunity to live with other people who have Multiple Sclerosis and it is fantastic to be to take part in music therapy, gardening, special talks. I want to be able to give something back.”

Originally from Walthamstow, Adrian moved to Ipswich when he was just 6 months old where he attended St Marks Primary School and St Alban’s High school in Ipswich.  He went on to study Environmental Science at Newcastle Polytechnic, and then worked at BT in Colchester for 4 years.  Adrian also spent 3 years in Seattle where he worked for a charity for people with learning disabilities.   Diagnosed with MS at the age of 31 Adrian was self sufficient and lived in Bury St Edmunds until 2006 where Adrian needed full time care and moved to a supported living scheme in Ipswich.  In May 2007 Adrian moved to the Chantry.

Sue Ryder Care is a national charity which cares for people living with conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Brain Injury and Stroke.  The charity needs to raise over £1million locally each year in order to continue to provide expert and compassionate care and support to people in Ipswich and surrounding areas.

Adrian continued, “I hope to get support from friends, family and any one who knows the limitation of being in a wheel chair and living with Multiple Sclerosis.”

The virtual rowing trip will begins on August 20th.  If you would like to sponsor Adrian visit www.justgiving.com/adriansluce or contact the Sue Ryder Care fundraising team on 01473 295200 or e-mail chantry.fundraising@suerydercare.org.

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