Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'SWINDON NEWS' to 80360 or email »
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Got a story? EMAIL US, call us on 01793 501806 or text us at 80360, starting your message
with 'SWINDON NEWS'
5:10pm Friday 14th November 2008
ONE of Swindon’s most prominent religious figures pounded the town’s streets for a worthy cause many miles away.
Bishop of Swindon, the Right Reverend Dr Lee Rayfield, took part in last month’s Swindon Half Marathon for the fourth time and, despite recording his slowest time, has still raised over £400.
“The sponsorship money is still coming in thick and fast,” he said.
“People’s generosity never fails to impress.”
The 53-year-old, from Old Town, who trains twice a week, completed the 13-mile course in an hour and 55 minutes and has already pledged to take part again next year.
The money he raised will go to helping people in Uganda.
He visited last year because he is part of the Diocese of Bristol, which is linked to the church in Uganda.
Bishop Lee has already sent out some funds from a previous run, which will go towards furnishing a ward at the relief camp.
He said he has been helping a refugee camp and saw the plight of internally displaced Ugandans in Paloga, just a few miles from the border with Sudan, and has plans to return in May next year.
Bishop Lee said: “The situation is desperate.
“There are some 30,000 people packed together with barely room to move between huts.
“You cannot believe how fortunate we are and what abundance we have in this country.
“Our money goes an awful long way in Africa.”
Now cattle and ploughs are needed to provide food for families, money is needed for education and the people have also asked him for support to build a church.
It was seeing all of this that inspired Bishop Lee to run for the people of the village.
“It’s a mixture of being appalled by some of the conditions that people live in and inspired by the amazing resilience and hope particularly of the Christian community there,” he said.
“I saw things which were pretty horrific and the living conditions which were incredibly awful.
“But the hope and the perseverance of the people there was truly inspiring.”
Anyone who still wishes to donate to Bishop Lee’s run should send it to the Bishop of Swindon, Mark House, Field Rise, Wiltshire, SN1 4HP.
More than 2,500 people participated in this year’s run and organisers are keen to find out how much the event raised.
Participants are asked to let them know how much they raised for their charity by Friday, December 12, by calling 01793 511033 or email swindonhalfmarathon@ swindon.gov.uk.
Always Grumpy, Swindon says...
11:48am Sun 16 Nov 08
malkym1, Highworth on the Hill says...
5:19pm Sun 16 Nov 08
Jiver, Swindon says...
7:23pm Sun 16 Nov 08
Add your comment
Register for a FREE Swindon Advertiser account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.
Please register now or sign in below to continue.
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Find your next job now in Swindon and beyond
Search Now »
Make a date in Swindon now!
Search Now »
Swindon homes for sale and to let
Search Now »
Cars for sale in Swindon and Wiltshire
Search Now »
Jiver, Swindon says...
10:30pm Sat 15 Nov 08
I just like winding people up
It could be BOAT - 'Beware Of Adver Taliban'
I've avoided this debate because I don't have a dog and I loath cats,
As for cats, well, if I say what I really think about them then someone will complain and BOTT or BOAT will descend. Suffice to say they've no place on this Earth!
Biggles might complain anyway though!
I bet you were hoping to have the last word on this one weren't you?
No, I'm not going to join you.
If people are named in print then as far as I'm concerned they are fair game. If they do not like it then they should keep their mouths shut in the first place.
What I want is a proper junction with easy access on and off. I'm not bothered how much land it takes or whether Blunsdon has to be flattened to achieve this.
If it had been designed properly in the first place we wouldn't be facing impending doom. I just want to be able to leave North Swindon early in the morning and get to my golf club with the minimum of hold-ups.
Or do you condone that? You can't have it both ways you know.
Anyway, there are more important battles ahead, namely making sure the land next to Coate is built on and other green areas are concreted over.
Of course, the next stage by Tesco, when they have the turbines up and running, will be to build a small nuclear facility in a corner of the car park. That will bring the protestors out in force and possibly another petition.
Today Coate, tomorrow The Lawns, Town Gardens, Queens Park and Liddiard. (Lydiard?) There'll be no stopping us when Coate's fully re-developed.
Anyway, I rarely travel by train, as I would much prefer to drive to wherever I'm going, so to be quite honest I don't give a stuff whether they put in an extra track between Kemble and Swindon.
I just like winding people up and trying to point out that I may have spelt LONGCOT incorrectly doesn't phase me one iota, it's such an insignificant, piddling little place it's hardly worth bothering about!
It obviously worries you though!
I just like winding people up
As to the petition, whether it's 50000, 100000, a million or ten million doesn't make any difference what-so-ever, as common sense will prevail (plus investment from private sources etc), which will mean Coate will be built on and a second rail will not be built.
Tough old world isn't it?
you'll be worried about whether you will have a job in the next six months, so I'll leave you to think about that.
Me, I'm retired, with a cracking bullet proof pension happily playing golf, travelling and winding up people like you.
Isn't life grand?
Surprise, surprise, my post was removed and the Adver Taliban has threatened to ban me. It seems as if you dare to mention the certain precious one from Oxfordshire or the the equally precious one from an area near Old Town then someone complains and the post is removed.
According to the Adver Taliban, posts that receive complaints are removed and the writers warned. Well, two can play at complaining so, everyone out there be careful how you go.
It would appear that certain people can spread misinformation about campaigns and get away with it. I'll be looking for the slightest inacuracies from now on just so I can complain. That will include spelling mistakes.
You've no knowledge of business or industry then?
You're clearly a troublemaker and therefore have no place on this site!
No doubt this post will be removed and I'll be banned.
Negative as usual.
And they are ridiculous comments because.........?
I expect they've already got him, you know how they love signinging up all these big stars to their pointless cause.
Who next I wonder? Will they dig up Diana Dors and try and get her signature?
I will continue to critise the likes of Snelgrove, Saunders et al as much as I can because I am sick of people like that who try to force their opinions onto others at every opportunity.
If you can't stand the heat then stay out of the kitchen.
No insults here, but no doubt the Adver Taliban will remove it!
You do appear to be getting wound up over all this despite your denials
I just like winding people up
Doesn't take much to turn you on then! You seem to have a bit of an obsession with Dr Who. It's not real you know, it's only pretend. There aren't really Time Lords flying around in phone boxes you know. You want to grow up a bit muppet.
I just like winding people up
Not difficult to wind up someone as stupid as you are is it?
Oh for crying out loud, how pathetic are you?
wonder why my post was removed?
Who complained?
.............
I wonder why his posts get removed