20th May 2008

Taking a Punt for Charity

Hook Norton licensee John Bellinger is to take to the water in June to raise money for The Katharine House Hospice. John, who is landlord at The Bell Inn, Adderbury in North Oxfordshire was originally challenged to travel the length of the Thames on a swan pedallo, but in spite of several appeals in the media, no swan could be found to fulfill the challenge.

Undeterred, John accepted a further challenge from a friend at the Bell, to travel the length of the Thames in Oxfordshire, on a punt. That friend, Simon Pipe, just happened to have a punt which he offered to John to complete the challenge in and of course, as John said, “It would have been rude not to have accepted!”

John’s challenge will start at St John’s Lock, Lechlade, at 10.00am on Sunday 22nd June and is scheduled to take six and a half days, finishing in Henley on the following Saturday (28th June) at 1.30pm. He is inviting people to bid for a daily crew place at an auction he is holding at The Bell Inn on Saturday 31st May at 9.00pm. Crew members will be encouraged to obtain sponsorship for their part in the challenge, to swell the coffers.

Telephone bids will also be welcomed from those who are too far away to attend in person.

John is also seeking someone with a small cabin cruiser, or similar, and with too much time on their hands who would like to act as his back up and provide overnight accommodation on the water.

If this sounds like you then contact John on Banbury 810338 or by emailing him at: info@the-bell.com

John’s last challenge saw him cycling around all of the Hook Norton Brewery pubs in Oxfordshire (and a few in Northamptonshire). On that occasion he managed to raise almost £4,500 for The Katharine House Hospice and although matching that amount would be fantastic, he will be happy if the total is more than £2,000.

If you would like to sponsor him, or offer any other kind of support, contact him as above or at The Bell in Adderbury. He also has a web site where you can sponsor him on line. www.justgiving.com/puntingchallenge