A tall order for Pauline

Scaling the heights of Blackpool’s Big One is the tall order Pauline Royle has set herself.

Retired teacher Pauline, from Carleton, near Blackpool, has been motivated to climb 420 steps to the 235ft summit of Britain’s tallest rollercoaster by the 74 vulnerable children who are being given a home and hope our Happy House.

Pauline, said:” I started sponsoring Jane at the beginning of this year. I am just finding out about her and what she is like – a very clever young lady.

“She likes dancing and seems to have a real twinkle in her eye. 
Elizabeth , the charity’s volunteer UK coordinator, knows the children so well and her enthusiasm is infectious. In my family there are far more boys than girls, so Jane redresses the balance a bit!”

Pauline is hoping to raise £500 from walking the Big One on Friday, October 11. “I have tried to do something scary every now and again – I think it is good for the soul to be challenged/

 “It involves walking up 420 steps to a height of 235 feet, with five other people. I think it is the first time I went on the Big One (as a passenger) as we trundled up I thought ‘Oh, this isn’t so bad’ – that was before the whoosh down.

“I have a nasty feeling walking down may be more difficult than walking up.''

Pauline is determined to complete her challenge. “When I really decide to do something I do it and it would be very difficult to lose face now so many people know. So the more people who sponsor me the more it will help and I can’t let down the Happy House – anyway I don’t know how I’d give all the money back!”

View from the top of the Big One

 She was inspired to help  after hearing a talk by Dr Steve Cushing who completed the world’s toughest marathon, the Marathon des Sables, for the charity founded by former Blackpool hotelier Sue Hayward.

“ After looking it up on the website, what Sue has managed to do has fascinated and amazed me. 

“ Then reading the daily blog about the daily happenings and costs involved made me want to help.

“I have found out that being a sponsor is more than just opening a standing order. It is being able to get to know the child and have real interaction with them, writing letters and emails, getting their school reports, seeing photographs. I think the memory box idea is just wonderful and also being able to add a little to their bank accounts for their future/

“Sponsoring Jane has brought me more than I could have dreamt in so many different ways. A wonderfully, warm welcoming organisation; new friends through the other people in Jane’s sponsor family and an opportunity to go shopping! It’s amazing what bargains can be found in the shops when the size doesn’t matter – it will fit someone. Also it has made me realise how lucky we are in this country, especially with education and NHS. I can knock the last one with the best of them, but reading about the medical costs in the blog has made me realise how lucky we are in this country being able on the whole to get treatment free of charge at point of need.

“But the BIG thing about the Happy House is that all the money goes to meet the children’s needs, not into big fancy premises in the centre of London and director’s pay. I have really wanted to be able to raise some money for the future plans, so ‘Making Room for Another One’ seemed to be just the ticket.

“It was getting an idea about what to do that was hard. I also want to support the Independent Living project, another of my hobby horses,  that “looked after” children in this country seem to be largely on their own after 16, when we wouldn’t dream of abandoning our own children at this age. So Sue’s dream for a halfway house for her children ticks the box for me.''

You can sponsor Pauline via her Just Giving web page www.justgiving.com/Pauline-Royle  or text giving account HHPR73 followed by amount to be donated to 70070.