29/07/07 The new gym is up and running! Thanks to the efforts of the MSTG(G)’s resident fitness instructor, Claire Hubbard, who will devise an exercise program for any member who wants to use it, a cacophany of grunts and groans can now be heard coming from the new gym at the Samson Centre. The gym is available to all fully-paid up members of the MSTG(G), including carers, as well as to other users of the Waterside Centre such as the Wey Kayak Club and the British Sub-Aqua Club. 25/07/07 Swannabe members? We all know that the Samson Centre is a fantastic resource, but this is ridiculous! Samson physio Helen Brodbin caught sight of this family queuing to join, but it turned out they'd been on the river and just wanted to use the loo! 21/07/07 Recent street collections The usual stalwarts (plus some new faces, it’s pleasing to report) braved the elements to raise funds for the Samson Centre through recent tin rattles: • 19 people took part in the collection in a very wet Godalming on the 21st July, raising a total of £674.13. • 24 people took part in an even more successful collection in Guildford town centre on the 15th June, raising £1,024.30. These street collections are the lifeblood of the Group, and helpers are always required and much appreciated. If you are prepared to give up an hour of your time in this way, please contact us to find out the dates of future collections. 16/07/07 Having our cake and eating it! Clare Heap, a friend of MSTG(G) Chairman John Hambly’s wife Marion, held a Cake and Coffee morning in Milford on the 16th July and raised £326 for the Centre. That sounds like an awful lot of baking – or a few very expensive cakes! Thank you, Clare. 03/07/07 This cycling’s not for softies! Phil Page took part in the British Cyclosportive on the 1st July in aid of the Samson Centre, completing the 120 miles in 7 hrs 11 min 50 sec, well under his personal goal of 7 hrs 30 min. Most of his supporters sponsored him online, through his page on the Justgiving website, and once Gift Aid has been reclaimed he will have raised well over £600. Well done, Phil! Read more 01/07/07 The British 10k Run The Samson Centre’s own Helen Brodbin and daughter Alison took part in the British 10k Run in London on the 1st July in aid of the Centre. Also running for Samson were Ian Hambly and Neil Perkin, nephew and friend respectively of MSTG(G) Chairman John Hambly. Bride-to-be Alison has previously run the London Marathon for Samson, but Helen was a complete novice and is quoted as saying that the feat will never be repeated. Mother and daughter raised just over £2,500 between them, while Ian collected nearly £500 and Neil a further £380. What a fantastic achievement by all four of them! Read what Helen really thought of it……! 15/06/07 Great Glen Challenge Starting on the 15th June, Steve Perrott and friend Allister Macdonald took part in the Great Glen Challenge, covering the 73-mile length of the Great Glen Way from Inverness to Fort William in three and a half days and raising £1,100 for the Samson Centre in the process. Congratulations and thanks to both of them. 03/06/07 They just keep on working for Samson A number of people have recently completed various fundraising events for Samson: Philip Preston ran and completed the Great Manchester Run, raising £350 for us. Geoff Gilbert completed the Edinburgh Marathon in 3 hours and 25 minutes, and raised £1,048 for the Centre. Ali Payne has returned from her Seville to Santiago de Compostela walk, and hopes to have raised over £2,000. She is still recovering! The recent Garden Party held in Effingham Junction raised £1,059.73. Magnificent efforts all round - well done and thank you to all concerned! 19/04/07 Brothers pound the streets for Samson! Brothers Hugh and Nicholas Valdes-Scott, nephews of Fleur Crowther-Smith, one of the original MSTG(G) team responsible for the development of the Samson Centre, recently put their bodies on the line by running the Paris Marathon in aid of Samson. Hugh, 23, had previously completed a marathon in Munster, Germany, but it was his first attempt at the distance for Nicholas, 29. However, despite the hot weather, with temperatures hovering around 27 degrees, both acquitted themselves well: Hugh finished in 4 hrs 22 min 08 sec, while Nicholas managed a very creditable 5 hrs 2 min 26 sec. Well done to both of them!