Fire walking event to raise money for 'Cancer Research UK'

Fire walking events can offer an 'out of comfort zone' challenge that can serve as a metaphor for dealing with challenges in business, in sport or in your personal life.

What is a Fire walk?
It is walking across a bed of red hot coals, barefoot

Why fire walk?
Why walk on a bed of red hot coals burning at temperatures of over 1200 degrees Fahrenheit?

For many people, successfully completing an activity that appears impossible has a real 'wow' factor. Fire walking can serve as a metaphor for achievement in business or in life, stretching the boundaries of your comfort zone, challenging your beliefs, facing your fears, listening to your inner guidance, crossing into a new chapter of your career or life. Many people experience an ‘Aha!’ moment – “If I can do this, what else can I achieve?”

Now you can experience Fire walking and contribute to ‘Cancer Research UK’ at the same time (either paying to take part directly or through personal sponsorship)

Organiser:

Tony Burgess, Director of Academy of High Achievers Ltd

www.aha-success.com

Tony's mobile: 07989 469 570

When?

27th February 2010

Meeting at 4pm in the venue car park near the main entrance to the centre.

Walking on the hot coals will begin at some time between approx 8pm-9:30pm (depending upon the time it takes for the wood to burn down to coals).

The event will finish will be between approx 10:00pm and 11:30pm (NB: you must be prepared to stay until 11:30pm)

Where? Northwood Garden Centre, 519 Clayton Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs ST5 4DH   01782 635081 (about a 5 minute drive from junction 15 of the M6). Link to Map

Driving North on the Clayton Road (A519), Northwood Garden Centre is located on the right immediately after a traffic island.

To take part...

...you will need to commit to raise through sponsorship (or you may choose to pay for this exciting event out of your own pocket) a minimum total of £150. 

An advance online payment of £35.25 will secure your place at the event and the remaining £114.75 will need to be made payable to the local committee of Cancer Research UK.

We ask that you please bring a cheque on the night for £114.75 (or more) payable to ‘Cancer Research UK Events’. 

We have found that most people can make it happen to pay the full amount up front on the night and then collect sponsor money after the event to recover their personal outgoings. However, we are happy for you to make the cheque post-dated if you need to (say by a month or two months) to give you time to collect your sponsor money in after the event whilst keeping things hassle-free for the charity. It also alloows us to confirm on the evening the actual amount raised.

If for any reason, you think that it will not possible for you to hand over a cheque for the full amount on the night, please call Tony Burgess in advance of the event on 07989 469 570 to firmly commit to a clear timescale for collection and payment of all sponsor money. Thank you.

Here is a sponsor form that you can download and print to use for your fundraising. (All sponsor forms and funds raised will need to be given to the local committee of Cancer Research UK rather than Head Office - please call Tony Burgess on 07989 469 570 if you have any questions about this)

To be allowed to take part, you must also be willing to complete and sign a copy of this form on the day of the event.

How to book your place:

You will need to pay a non-refundable deposit of £30 + vat (£35.25) online to book your place. This amount (per head) should more than cover any costs of running the event (the main costs are logs, paraffin, turf, venue hire, van hire and fuel, plus a few inexpensive props for the event). This payment is made directly to the organisers, Academy of High Achievers Ltd. It allows the organisers to begin to make the necessary arrangements to run the event.

Remember - By booking, you are committing to raising/paying at least another £114.75 (to make the total at least £150) and to take part, you will be expected to hand over a cheque on the evening (unless otherwise arranaged directly with Tony Burgess in advance of the date of the event Tel: 07989 469 570).

To make your booking payment to secure your place, please click on the payment button below:

If after the event, the running costs turn out to be lower than £30 + vat per head (they almost certainly will be lower if we get a good sized group of people taking part), any remaining monies will be paid over to Cancer Research UK by Academy of High Achievers Ltd. Your trainers from Academy of High Achievers Ltd will make no profit whatsoever from the event and all time and effort is given free of charge by the organisers.

Please call Tony Burgess +44(0)7989 469 570 if you have any questions about any of this.

Extra guidance information for the event.

Please take careful notice of the information below in advance of the event:

1) Avoid any kind of foot treatment (eg massage, oils and lotions, reflexology, nail polish) in the few days leading up to the event

2) Ensure that you have no flammable substances on your person (eg hairspray) 

3) Ensure that trousers or skirt easily rolls up to knee height.

4) Bring a variety of clothing to suit variations in weather (including wet weather - we will run the event whatever the weather!) and bring a torch if you have one

5) Bring an old towel or two to wipe feet on and perhaps a spare pair of socks for after the walk

6) Wear clothes that you are happy to get smoky, dirty, damaged.

7) Feel happy to bring your own non-alcoholic drinks (hot and/or cold), sandwiches, snacks for the duration of the event.By organising the event this way, we maximise the amount that goes directly to the charity. (No food will be provided at the event. Tea and Coffee will be available on a 'pay as you go' basis at the venue so do bring along some cash if you wish to make such purchases. Teas and coffees will be £1.50 each and you will need to have the correct change available)

8) Firewalks are notoriously difficult to photograph. If you bring a camera, be aware that taking photos will be considered a low priority activity, as safety and attention to preparing and monitoring firewalkers will be the key focus of the organizers.

9) Certificates will be provided to confirm that you have taken part in the event.

10) You are welcome to have a small number of family and/or friends come along to watch the walk itself. Please advise them that they need to be 'on their best behaviour' as we cannot afford for any distraction for the walkers themselves. Do not invite anyone who you think may be disruptive in any way as it could jeopardise the event. Watchers can take photos from a distance if they choose (although again be warned that photos of firewalking tend to be of poor quality). The start time of the actual firewalk cannot be specified exactly. The weather, the wood, the size of fire etc can all have impact on the time it takes to burn down to the right type of coals. With this in mind, we encourage that rather than have spectators arrive early and end up hanging around, instead we ask that you phone or text them periodically during the event to give them updated estimates as to when to turn up.

11) Any photos or video footage taken (if any) by the organizers may be used for promotional purposes - you will need to sign to agree to this in order to take part in the event.

12) Come with an open mind and a willingness to soak up learning and be ready to step out of your comfort zones. Please be fully aware that it is possible to experience burns in the activity of firewalking although the events are carefully designed to minimize risk and maximize learning and personal benefits. (If you would like to discuss this, please call Tony Burgess on 07989 469 570)

13) If you have any mental health issue, medical condition, or disability, please make the organizers aware in advance of signing up to the event (please call Tony Burgess on 07989 469 570)

14) Please note that no-one under 18 years of age will be allowed to take part in this event without permission from the organizers in advance of the day (please call Tony Burgess on 07989 469 570 to discuss)

15) At the event itself, a very permissive approach is adopted. Every person is very free to choose for themselves whether or not to walk on the coals when it comes to that part of the event and everyone will be applauded whatever decision each person makes.

Finally - Get curious and excited!

Your Fire walk Instructors - Tony Burgess and Julie French

More about Tony and Julie

On the day of the event itself, you have the opportunity to be involved right from the start by helping to build the fire and light the fire.

Once the fire is well lit, we will run a seminar for you indoors which will last between two and a half to three and a half hours (whilst the wood burns down to coals). The seminar is designed to educate and prepare you for the firewalk itself and also to help you to understand how you can apply the lessons to other areas of your life. We will also have short breaks when you will be able to eat any snacks and drinks that you may have brought with you (see note 7 above)

When the wood has burned down and the coals are ready, you will be invited to come outside as part of the group and then the opportunity to walk on the hot coals will be provided. Onlookers are permitted at this part of the event (and please pay close attention to the guiding notes in point 10 above)

We wrap up the event by extinguishing the fire and going back inside for a group debriefing and feedback session.

The event will then be brought to a close after the feedback session and departures will begin.

If you have any questions about any aspect of this event, please call Tony Burgess directly on 07989 469 570

We look forward to welcoming you on 27th Feb 2010

Warmest regards

Tony and Julie

Tony Burgess and Julie French

Directors

Academy of High Achievers Ltd