Day 12 – The Madjeski Stadium – London Irish – Reading Berkshire

After a day walking 10 miles very tentatively and carefully in the gym yesterday after an uncomfortable day on Thursday at Top Gear on the Dunsfold Park Airfield, I woke up this morning feeling refreshed and raring to go.

About to set off with London Irish Mascot,
Digger the Dog, & lots of young people!

This was a big day today; it marks the first Premiership Rugby Club to host me and sets the template to request Premiership Rugby Clubs for support on Saturdays throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland to provide venues where I can complete my BRIT 2012 Challenge walking days and invite young people from their communities to walk with me. I hope Rugby Union, Rugby League and Football Clubs can do the same.

I arrived at the Madjeski Stadium in Reading, Berkshire and was welcomed by the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service http://www.rbfrs.co.uk/ and what a welcome!  Four Fire Engines, their Response Unit and the Water Rescue Unit had come in from all four fire stations in Reading and they were great.  I had time to talk about the BRIT 2012 Challenge and their response was super.  We walked a few miles together around the Stadium before they started to respond to emergency calls coming in from across their Reading area and wished me well.

Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service at the Madjeski Stadium

 I have mentioned before that I have been presented with a Fire Fighter's Tunic and each County are presenting me with a cloth badge as I walk through each county and they are being sewn on the jacket so I can take time to champion the Fire Fighters Charity http://www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/ ; the bond I have with the Fire Fighters is growing stronger each day and I have the utmost respect and admiration for all they do every day to serve the public.

I then met Caroline Rae from London Irish http://www.london-irish.com/  who looked after me throughout the day.  When I completed the 8 miles around the stadium, I was then invited to walk around the ground with the young people who are invited each game as mascots and we were given a tremendous welcome from the fans from London Irish and Gloucester Rugby Club http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/ .  By kind permission of Richard Marsh, the Commercial Director, London Irish had included a page on the BRIT 2012 Challenge in their programme and conducted a pitch side interview with me to tell everyone in the stadium about the Challenge.  It was a day to treasure and I am grateful to Andy McMillan at Coutts and Co for the introduction to London Irish and to everyone at the Madjeski Stadium for championing BRIT and hosting me for Day 12.

 

With the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rerscue Service Water Rescue Unit

Another 8 miles today and 1894 miles to go.

With the weather looking grim tonight and tomorrow, I have another day in the gym tomorrow to work on my legs to get through a few niggles and prepare for a big week next week;

Mon 6 – Dorney Lake, Berkshire

Tue 7 – Mary Hare and Park House Schools, West Berkshire

Wed 8 – Windsor Castle / Windsor Long Walk, Windsor & Maidenhead, Berkshire

Thu 9 – Wokingham, Berkshire

Fri 10 – Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire & High Crest School, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Sat 11 – Oxford University, Oxfordshire

Mon 13 – Christ Church University, Canterbury, Kent

Tue 14 – Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Bracknell Forrest, Berkshire

Best wishes,

Phil