SUMMARY of Black Jaguar's (Brians) Charity Cycle from Loch Garten to Rutland Water

Hi all... I'm tucked up in bed and thought I'd catch up with all that has been going on since yesterday...

Firstly... Once again and I will never ever apologise for or tire of saying this... Thank you.. One and all.. We burst £2K... Every time I think of that I get a wee bit emotional.

ShielaFE.. You deserve a little special mention.. And a special Black Jag X.

Now as to the money... I am going to email Mr Richard.. I want a little chat with him about what his intentions are... I think he owes us all at least that. I know that before a wheel was turned John Ingham posted on the Blog that the money was to be used for ongoing cost of data down loading..... Not good enough for me now.. Had we raised say £500 then ok.. But all of you great people have given LOCH GARTEN a fantastic windfall.. So with your permission I would like to see a more tangible outcome.

Jag

Sorry only just posting but I didn't get time to come online much while I was away in P/borough. Drove back home yesterday afternoon and after unpacking, having a few cuppas and something to eat felt a bit tired. Thought I would have a couple of hours and ended up sleeping right through to this morning :) LOL and I hadn't done a charity bike ride!

It was really fantastic being there to meet Jag with Tiger and Zara and great to meet Ruthie and her husband. Sorry there are no pics of me, Tiger or Zara but we have always preferred to maintain anonymity on the net.

Jag's face was wet with more than the rain that had bucketed down on him all morning. Being the humble and emotional man that he is, was very touched by the whole thing.

As Tiger and Ruthie have already said, the RW team made us all very welcome with mugs of tea and coffee all round. They gave Jag a lovely RW T-shirt and it would have been so nice to be able to say that RSPB did the same....but where were you RSPB? Where were you along the route? Where were you at the end?

Jag, you cycled all that way in atrocious weather for the main part, raising a real chunk of money for LG. I couldn't agree more that you should have a say in how the cash is spent. I am certainly behind you as I am sure is everyone on this board.

Hi to Jag's Mum and family, you are rightly proud of him and so are we! :)

Hi folks.. HBOMB.. Lol that is brilliant. I will pss on that message to your wee brother.

NOW FOLKS I HAVE HAD An EMAIL FORM RSPB HQ SCOTLAND.

I have copied it and pasted it to here for every one to see along with my reply.

Hello Katherine...

Thank you for your message. I'm feeling great and I enjoyed every minute of the cycle... 

There was some terrible weather as you may have seen, Yorkshire in particular had an unprecedented amount of rain just as I was going through.

I don't know if you read the RSPB community blogs or threads, however, may I direct you to the Loch Garten community blogs.. Here you will find a summary thread, started by MaryGk, which has all of my posts, maps that have been put on, pictures and even a video with a little question and answer session at the Humber bridge..

Now... Here is a wee grumble.. I feel that the RSPB have not really embraced this little venture, perhaps it is too small, perhaps it seems insignificant in the big scheme of RSPB funds.. But.. Over 100 donations have taken the funds given to LOCH GARTEN.. Way over £2000.. That IS amazing. My finishing point was at Rutland Water.. Not too far really from RSPB.. HQ. I arrived at RUTLAND to a fantastic welcome, from fellow osprey lovers, I MIGHT ADD THAT THESE GREAT PEOPLE HAVE NEVER MET ME AND CAME OUT TO WELCOME ME IN, IN ATROCIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS and from RUTLAND STAFF. Instantly I was given a RUTLAND OSPREYS shirt to put on and within an hour or so they had pictures on their blog. Could the RSPB have sent or asked someone to come along and represent the organisation? 

Now a grumble about Loch Garten.. In particular the manager Richard Thaxton.. 

I visited LG, three weeks to the day, before I set off. I had a little chat then with Mr Thaxton.. At best is reaction was lukewarm. It stayed that way.. I called at least twice to have a chat with him about how any funds raised could be used.. Eventually he called me back, by this time I had, had posters asking about how their money was going to be spent. I asked Mr Thaxton if he would post on the RSPB LOCH GARTEN BLOG, or on the SPONSORED CYCLE THREAD, what may be done with £500 or if we managed to raise £1000, or more then what use could that be put to. Mr Thaxton agreed to do this. Well, the next thing I knew, John Ingham had posted that any money would be going to the ongoing costs of tracking data downloading... This is and was a big surprise and disappointment to me and to some others.. Now that the sum has gone into £2K plus I feel that something more tangible, and with some imagination could in turn generate more money, could be done. 

Feel free to look at the blogs posts and summary thread.. There is a wealth of information there. 

If you would like to chat about the contents of this reply..

Please call me 

07841261411.

Your assistance in getting the just giving page set up is greatly appreciated. 

Thank you once again,

Brian (Black Jaguar)

P.S. Having chatted with a few of the donators/sponsors.. I know some are seriously thinking of giving up their membership of the RSPB. 

On 1 May 2012, at 12:12, "Sellar, Katherine" <Katherine.Sellar@rspb.org.uk> wrote:

Hi Brian,

How did your incredible bike ride go? Hope you are not feeling too sore and that you managed to enjoy yourself. It is absolutely amazing what you have done and fantastic that your challenge raised over £2,000 for the RSPB – CONGRATULATIONS! I know Loch Garten will want to get in touch and thank you directly but I just wanted to send a wee note to say thanks too. We want to put something up on our facebook and twitter in the next couple of days to say thank you – do you have any pictures you would be happy for us to use?

Thank you again for your massive effort and the fundraising you have done for the RSPB,

Katherine

Katherine Sellar

Community Fundraising Manager

RSPB Scotland Headquarters

2 Lochside View

Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh

EH12 9DH

Tel: 0131 317 4178

Mob: 07958 073049

Fax: 01767 685 008

Here folks is the reply from Katherine Sellar..

Once again confirming that LG will benefit directly from your wonderful donations....

Hi Brian,

Thank you for your email – I am so glad that you enjoyed the cycle despite the weather!

We really appreciate you taking on such an immense challenge to raise money for the RSPB – it is an absolutely fantastic amount of money to have been raised and it will make a difference at Loch Garten. Richard is on leave this week and I think it would be best if he spoke to you directly about your concerns – sorry I can’t be of more help at the moment but I will pass on your concerns to Richard when he returns from leave.

Thanks again for your support,

Katherine

Katherine Sellar

Community Fundraising Manager

RSPB Scotland Headquarters

2 Lochside View

Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh

EH12 9DH

Tel: 0131 317 4178

Mob: 07958 073049

Fax: 01767 685 008

A big well done and huge thank you to black jaguar! Well cycled Sir.

All: thanks for flagging up your concerns, we have forwarded this thread to Richard and hope to have a response once he has returned from his leave. Thanks for your patience in the meantime.

Claire

Good morning as it is now folks...

I am HOME... well what do I say about you lot...

THANK YOU.

Yep that about sums it up. you were and are all wonderful.

I had a great week, from the train ride north and Fiona Mackintosh of the John Muir Trust (still to join that) to, the weather, the roads, sometimes a little danger, but only for about a mile, the meetings, MaryGK saving the day with a bar of chocolate, Sunshine and the signs and the gifts and the booze, Mrs & Mr NiteOwl, with gifts of food & black jag the movie and the slideshows, the banter in the evenings. HBOMB.. and my niece... MaryGK again making a summary thread...

The hills, the flat land the wind, the spooky hostel, and grumpy Bed and Breakfast hostess.. the pool in Hull, the not so flat area of north Linconshire..

The sun in the Highlands, the forieners at Drumochter.. the banter in the evening... Oh Black Sheep...

Then the ride in the rain on the last day... the welcome at Rutland Mrs & Mr Ruthie, ChloeB, Zara and the legend... TIGER..... the banter in the evenings...

The strike today, Sugar with a gift of "English Scotch" ?!?..

Home.. and oh did I mention the banter in the evening.

Thank you again every single one of you.. You have made this adventure your own.. I am so pleased to have been a part of it.

Good after noon folks,

While I was tucked up asleep I have had email.

Richard is back from holiday and sent this, my reply is also here.

Hello Richard,

I trust you had a nice holiday. 

I am really looking forward the the fun kicking off again at LG, when or hopefully when the eggs hatch. 

The drama at the start of the season was great to see and I know that many many people are virtually glued to the live camera. 

Yes I have a couple of "wee grumbles" as do a few others that have followed the cycle. 

I look forward to your reply and as always you are free to call me. 07841261411.

Many thanks, and welcome back.

Regards,

Brian. 

On 8 May 2012, at 08:32, "Thaxton, Richard" <Richard.Thaxton@rspb.org.uk> wrote:

Morning Brian

I am just back in the office today, from leave since 25th April, to find myself “in the stocks”. I will address your “wee grumbles” as you put it, in due course, by the end of the week hopefully. I trust that's ok.

In the meantime, very many congratulations on completing your epic cycle ride to Rutland. No mean feat under any circumstances, but with the weather you had to endure, it is all the more remarkable – well done.

Whilst I was abroad, Team LG texted me to let me know you had arrived safely on that Sunday.

Anyway, many congratulations and thank you.

More anon.

Hello all, I'm just home. I'd gone out without my communicator... phone. Lol

So imagine my surprise to learn no my return that WE have won the good egg thingy.. For April.