Ross contacted St Basils Fundraising team in January 2019 to say that for this his 40th year he would be setting himself 40 challenges as well as a wishlist of things that he would have hoped to have achieved by 40. It included individual and epic challenges such as running the London Marathon in April, but it also included experiences with his family including a father/daughter camping trip. His list also shows the importance of self-care, making time for others, helping the local community and making time to do things just for the fun of it! This is very much Ross pushing himself to new heights whilst living his best life and doing it all to raise money for a charity and a cause he cares about…
…because yes, Ross also pledged to raise money for a local charity and chose St Basils! His target was £4000, which would be amazing anyway but with the support of colleagues, friends and family he has absolutely smashed that, raising over £6,500 and still counting!
Barrie Hodge, Head of Fundraising said: “We can’t thank you enough Ross for all your hard work! What you’ve achieved is fantastic!”
In Pictures
Here’s some photos Ross shared with us that show which items he has been able to tick off so far!
What Ross has achieved:
In total Ross has already completed almost three-quarters of his #40at40 list with a few more items due to be ticked off in the next couple of months. Here’s what he’s already achieved:
- Raising £4,000 for charity – currently at over £6,500 and counting!
- Cycling up some Alpine mountains
- Giving up alcohol for 40 days
- Run the London marathon
- Taking up yoga
- Become an organ donor
- Go to an open air concert – Paul Weller at Westonbirt Arboretum
- Go paragliding – this had to be changed to parasailing because it was planned for the Alps and got cancelled due to weather so I went parasailing instead as a back up
- Complete an Ironman Triathlon – Ironman 70.3 in Weymouth
- Watch a film in the open air – A Star is Born at Warwick Castle
- Canoe along the River Avon
- See a Shakespeare play at the RSC in Stratford
- Go to a festival – Ibiza Classics at Ragley Hall
- Be an extra in a movie or TV show – Code 404 showing early next year on Sky 1
- Go wild swimming – in a glacial lake in the Alps but also training for the Ironman
- Put my phone down at 9pm every night
- Read a life changing book – read the Tatooist of Auschwitz and a few more also being read before the end of the year
- Go camping with my daughter Florence
- Create a family tree
- Take the scenic route – whenever there is a choice
- Learning a new language
- Gone on a road trip in a VW campervan
- Flown a kite
He hopes to tick off; watching the top 100 films and documenting his #40at40 very soon as well, and….. Ross and a team of his colleagues from Argent LLP have signed up to do our BIG Brum SleepOut on Friday 29th November, sleeping out overnight in a cardboard dwelling of their own construction, so that will be another one he’ll be able to tick off soon too.
Here’s a link to Ross’s full list which he made in January 2019. It makes very interesting reading and might give you some ideas too! You can sponsor him via this link as well:
If you would be interested in doing a similar challenge, please contact fundraising@stbasils.org.uk. Thank you.