JTYAF News
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Tuesday 2nd March 2010 |
| Manley Hopkinson leading
an expedition to the South Pole |
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Manley Hopkinson, our Ambassador for the South,
has a challenge of his own. In November of this year he is
leading an expedition to the South Pole.
He and 6 other adventurers are walking, unsupported,
hauling 90kg sleds and targeting the world record of 24 days,
8 Hours and 50 minutes to reach the pole using the Beardmore
Glacier route. As Manley says “Our route is more technical
and tougher than the traditional route from Hercules Inlet,
but I believe it’s much faster”.
They will cross 460 miles of glaciers, crevasses
and ice waves in sub zero temperatures to reach their goal.
Details can be found on his web site www.bestofbritishsouthpole.com.
Have a look and follow him there while he achieves his dream.
Maybe a JTYAF wrist Band could form part of
his wardrobe?
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Saturday 9th January 2010 |
| Awards of £36,000
in 2010 |
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The John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation
(JTYAF) has announced
that it will award an amazing £36,000 to local young
people in 2010.
Following massive fundraising support both locally
and nationally, further expansion will see the award of a
significantly higher number of bursaries and scholarships
across an even wider range of local youth organisations in
the Foundation's second year. The JTYAF have allocated £36,000
for awards in 2010 to advance the lives of young people from
the Girl Guides, Scouts, the Dorset Music Service, the Dorset
Fire and Rescue Cadets and young employees from Sainsbury's
in Ferndown, in addition to the three core organisations,
Ferndown Upper School, the Dorset and Wilts Wing of the Air
Cadets and the Air Cadet Junior Leaders.
Applications for scholarships and bursaries for 2010 have
already been received by Alex Wills, the Head teacher, at
Ferndown Upper School and he is in the process of selecting
the successful applicants. Students' requests range from financial
support for community conservation projects and expeditions
to Peru, through to equipment and training for a young national
level power lifting champion.
The support and commitment of people both locally and nationally
has enabled the foundation to make a real difference to the
lives of many young people. The JTYAF has been overwhelmed
by the generosity of their supporters and would like to express
their gratitude to everyone who has helped them to achieve
so much.
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November 2009 |
| Waitrose Community
Matters Scheme |
Picture: Pete Thornton receives a cheque for
£265 from Mark Holloway at Waitrose in Ringwood
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The John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation was nominated
for November's Community Matters Scheme at the Waitrose
supermarket in Ringwood.
The Waitrose Community Matters Scheme donates £1,000
between 3 local good causes each month. At the checkout
customers receive a token to place in the box of the
good cause that they wish to support. The more tokens
a cause gets the bigger the donation the cause receives.
The JTYAF was lucky to receive a fantastic donation
of £265 and we would like to pass on our thanks
to all the Waitrose customers that voted for us. Many
thanks for your support.
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Autumn 2009 |
| JT remembered at the
summit of Mount Kilimanjaro |
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Picture: Matthew Gray at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro
with the JTYAF wrist band he placed around the wooden
stanchion that he is leaning on.
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He hopes that it will remain there for quite some time.
Matthew said 'it was an honour to place the wrist band
at the top, the courage and bravery shown by John and
the rest of the troops is incomprehensible. I can understand
why Kili is a very special place to the Thornton family.
It was a lot harder to climb than any of us imagined,
it's amazing how the altitude just gets you and unfortunately
that was the reason why two of our party didn't actually
make it to the summit.'
Congratulations Matthew. We are very touched that you
were thinking about JT and our troops on the roof of
Africa. Ahsante sana!
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17th & 18th October 2009 |
| The Junior Leaders
Tribute |
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Pete and Linda Thornton were honoured to be invited to visit
a JL training weekend at the Sunhill Centre in Skipton, North
Yorkshire. They were invited to the dedication of a memorial
and were also able to witness a 'snapshot' of JL activities
which gave them an insight into why the course held such a
special place in John's heart. Junior Leaders (JL) is a leadership
development course aimed at senior members of all 3 cadet
forces. Junior Leaders is undoubtedly the toughest and most
rewarding course available to young people today. The JL's
are extremely fortunate to be provided with fantastic opportunities
and training from a talented and immensely dedicated team
of instructors. The Aerial Adventure Course at the Sunhill
Centre www.sunhillcentre.co.uk
provided exhilarating and adrenalin charged experiences for
JL development in trust, problem solving, leadership and teamwork.
Just one of the many activities on offer for these young men
and women, over one weekend!
A large number of those who graduate from the course go on
to join the Armed Forces; however a desire to join the regular
forces is not a necessity to apply for Junior Leaders. Whatever
the career intention, the skills taught and the opportunity
to practice these skills, will undoubtedly assist the individual
in either a civilian or military career - It is the intention
of the course and it's instructors to produce well rounded
young adults, well practiced in leadership and the other skills
needed to progress in their first career choice.
Junior Leaders derive from a variety of backgrounds and may
differ in their ambitions, however, all share common characteristics,
a determination to succeed, commitment to the cause, physical
and mental strength, a sense of humour in the face of adversity,
self discipline, pride, and a desire to lead.
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The dedication of the memorial was a very moving service
and a wonderful tribute to the 'Memory of JL's No Longer
With Us.' Pete and Linda were honoured to be there.
It is with great sadness that we must confirm that another
QJL will be remembered at this memorial. Rifleman Andrew
Fentiman was killed as a result of small arms fire whilst
on a foot patrol near Sangin in central Helmand province
during the morning of 15 November 2009. QJL Andy Fentiman
- was a graduate of No7 Course. Our thoughts and prayers
are with his family and friends at this dreadful time.
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12th January 2009 |
| A Great Start to 2009 |
The Board of Trustees are delighted
to announce that the first monies have been allocated for bursary
and scholarship applications.
£3,000 has been allocated to each of the three organisations
that the Foundation supports: Dorset and Wiltshire Wing of the
ATC, Ferndown Upper School and the Junior Leaders Course.
Following the fantastic support that the charity has received
in its first year, these amounts exceed our initial expectations.
However, the overwhelming support from the public and business
community has been instrumental in the charity receiving over
£30,000 of fund-raising monies in its first five months.
The remainder of the funds will be deposited to generate interest
to provide further grants in the future.
A very big thank to all who have helped make this possible -
we are sure that JT will be smiling from on high that something
so positive has materialised from such grief.
We will keep you informed of the recipients of the grants via
this News page, and via the local press.
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10th January 2009 |
| Simon Weston Pays
His Respects |
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 Falklands
hero Simon Weston OBE took time out to visit JT's family
prior to the quarterly Trustees meeting.
Together, with some of the Trustees and Ambassadors, Simon
visited JT's grave in Ferndown to pay his respects.
Simon agreed to become patron of the Foundation in November,
and is already actively engaging himself in the role.
Following the grave visit, the group then drove on to Ferndown
ATC HQ, where Simon was introduced to the Board of Trustees
and presented a memorial plaque to John's parents.
The plaque has been arranged by Sqn Ldr Vanessa Toth, OC of
Ferndown ATC Squadron, and will be proudly displayed under
a portrait of John Thornton in the reception area.
Picture:
Simon (second on left) together with some of the Ambassadors
of JT's charity, and John Fay MBE (right), Organisation
Development for the Foundation.
Tony Hambleton (second from right) joins the charity as an
Ambassador for the Royal Air Force, and Richard Millman (far
left) takes on the Ambassador role for the North of England.
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