17:55 Thursday 19th April 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
NICK FAIRBAIRN: Yesterday our Peterborough Breakfast team caught up with a group of Posh fans who are driving 939 miles to all of the Scottish football league clubs in just two days. Why, you ask. Well to raise money for the Peterborough charity the Free Kicks Foundation. And one of those intrepid travellers is on the line now. Chris Dowsett’s with us. Hi Chris.
CHRIS DOWSETT: Hi Nick.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: Chris, wher are you at the moment?
CHRIS DOWSETT: We have just left Aberdeen, and we are on our way to Peterhead, which is about 30 miles.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: A long old way. Are you on schedule? How are you looking?
CHRIS DOWSETT: We’re probably about an hour behind. We got stuck in Edinburgh this morning. We’ve done the best part of about 250 miles today. We’ve got about another 160 left to go. And then tomorrow we’ve got another 500 miles to do. And then obviously Saturday we’re driving back to Peterborough. So while it’s 939 miles around Scotland, in total, driving to and from Peterborough as well, it works out at about 1600 miles I think.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: That is a fair old whack, isn’t it? And hopefully the Posh boys will beat Watford for you on Saturday. Because you’ll be falling asleep really by then, won’t you?
CHRIS DOWSETT: Yes. Hopefully they can keep us awake with a good performance on Saturday. But this is a great cause to be doing this for. We take ill and disabled and bereaved children to football, and the money we’re raising on the trip to Scotland is hopefully going to go towards Scottish children as well. So it’s a great trip to go and do. We’ve seen some really good grounds in Scotland. But also the money that we’re raising, I think at the moment, certainly on-line, we’ve raised about £500. And hopefully we can raise a bit more as well. So hopefully your listeners can throw a bit into the pot as well. And hopefully we can get this all done on schedule, and provide some fantastic days out for kids in Scotland.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: It’s a cracking charity. I said it was Peterborough based, but as you mentioned, it does really cater for kids across the country. And it’s grown and grown, hasn’t it, over the last few years? It’s really taken off.
CHRIS DOWSETT: Yes. The two guys involved with it, Steve Thorpe, who set up the charity, and Sam Downing, who organises a lot of the days out for kids, have been absolutely fantastic. Because it’s all voluntary, and they do it in their own spare time, and spend a lot of time doing it. And as you say, a lot of stuff outside of Peterborough as well. And I think this weekend we’ve got a trip in Peterborough. We’ve got one at Huddersfield, and one at Hereford. So all around the country, and making kids happy all over the place, and really making their day. And in some case, kids, it’s the last thing that they do. So a really good charity, and really worth putting the money towards. And it’s absolutely fantastic to fund raise for it.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: Yes. I’m glad it’s getting supported so thoroughly. For you guys, driving up and down Scotland, I imagine you get a bit grumpy and a bit tired, don’t you, after driving for a long time? Does it get a bit tense in that car?
CHRIS DOWSETT: We’re all right at the moment. We haven’t had a cup of tea for quite a while.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: You’re all quite mellow chaps actually aren’t you, thinking about it? Quite relaxed.
CHRIS DOWSETT: Yeah. We’re not too bad. We haven’t had a cup of tea since about six o’clock this morning, so we’re getting the caffeine shakes a bit, but no, we’re Ok at the moment. I don’t know what it will be like tomorrow night, but at the moment we’re fairly mellow. We haven’t had a fight yet, considering I’ve got lost several times. But that’s my own fault. But no, we’re doing quite well actually, and hopefully we’ve got quite a long day tomorrow. We’re not going to get in till probably about eleven o’clock tonight, and as I say we’ve got about 500 miles to do tomorrow, so busy day.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: Well if you do have a barney, make sure you stop driving before you do that. Just quickly Chris, who’s been the most welcoming club? Which clubs really embraced the cause? have any made any nice gestures?
CHRIS DOWSETT: Yes. We went to Cowdenbeath, Cowdenbeath has probably been our favourite. It was an experience for sure. I think if anybody wants to go to a quirky football ground, then Cowdenbeath is it. It has a dirt kart track around the side, and it has burn marks on the pitch. It had a market outside. But they were great people, and actually all the people that we’ve spoken to have been absolutely fantastic with this. And we just met somebody in Aberdeen who’s just travelled down about an hour to come and meet us. So it’s absolutely outstanding, the support that we’ve had. And hopefully if people can spare a few quid, then hopefully put it in our pot and raise money for kids who deserve a day out at football. And actually Nick, we’ve just found a McDonalds, which we haven’t found all day, since about six o’clock this morning.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: I can hear the smile returning to your voice Chris. Listen, drive safely, and well done, keep up the good work.
CHRIS DOWSETT: Nick, can I just promote the address as well> Is that Ok?
NICK FAIRBAIRN: Of course you can. Of course.
CHRIS DOWSETT: Yes. It’s www.justgiving.com/freekicksinscotland. And also we’ve got a text as well, which is FKS12 plus the amount you want to pledge to 70070.
NICK FAIRBAIRN: Ok Chris. Stay safe. Good to talk to you.
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