The Story Behind The Order – Penny Farthing Fundraiser
At Trophies Plus Medals we believe that the key to success is building strong relationships with our customers and community. That is why we make it a priority to get to know the people we serve. We are always looking for ways to better understand the needs and wants of those who chose us for their trophies, medals and awards. By getting to know our customers, we are able to not only provide better products and services, but we can also create a stronger community. We value the feedback and insights our customers have to offer, and we are constantly working to improve and grow based on their input.
We are excited to introduce a new series where we will be featuring our valued customers as guests. We believe that behind every order, there is a story worth sharing. Whether it is a special occasion, a business venture, or a personal project, we want to understand the reasons behind our customer's choices and how our products and services have helped them to recognise an achievement or occasion.
Join us as we discover the unique and individual stories behind our customer's orders. We recently spoke with the charity Help for Heroes to learn more about the story behind their recent order!
Tell us who you are?
My name is Dean, I work for Help for Heroes but have also been a keen fundraiser for many years. I have done numerous fundraising events from running, cake sales, BBQs, raffles and supermarket bucket collections to name a few. I even did an Ironman triathlon once and now my fundraising always seems to return to cycling of some sort.
I was born in Yorkshire but grew up mainly in Germany as my dad was in the army. Over the years my wife’s family (who are originally from Glasgow) and mine have migrated to the Hinckley area and this is where our routes now lay.
What’s your story?
After being an army child, I was drawn back and spent 27 years serving in the army myself, firstly in the Royal Green Jackets, an Infantry Regiment and then later as a Physical Training Instructor and Rehabilitation Instructor in the Army Physical Training Corps. I did lots of training all over the world such as Germany, Denmark, Norway and Canada and deployed on a couple of oversees operations including Northern Ireland and Afghanistan. I therefore have a breadth of experience in military training and operations as well as working closely with those that suffered severe injuries and wounds. So, a second career with a military charity on retirement from the army was an appetising thought.
I have now been employed by Help for Heroes as their Area Fundraising Manager for just over 8 years and have now settled in Hinckley with my family. No longer able to run due to various wear and tear injuries, I started to enjoy cycling more but am easily distracted and become bored quickly. I learnt to ride unicycles and have unicycled up to 30 miles on a regular basis and more recently have enjoyed riding my Penny Farthing. My family chipped in to help me buy the Penny Farthing for my 50th birthday a couple of years ago. I quickly picked up the knack and started to ride further and further until in 2021, I cycled with a few wounded veterans 300 miles around the Scottish Borders on a double coast to coast challenge.
Last year (2022), I completed the Help for Heroes Big Battlefield Bike Ride covering 300 miles over 5 days following the British Western Front through Belgium and France, being the first person to complete it on a Penny Farthing. This year (2023), I plan to cycle the Battlefield Bike Ride again. This time, we are covering 350 miles over 5 days in Northern France and Belgium following in the footsteps of the British Expeditionary Force to the evacuation of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo), wish me luck or better still, pop a few quid on my Just Giving page - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/pennyfarthingdean
What cause are you raising funds for?
I’m raising funds for Help for Heroes, not only because I work for the charity but am extremely passionate in making sure that our Armed Forces Community get the fair deal that they signed up to. Some have been severely affected by their service and deserve the very best support when they need it the most. At Help for Heroes, we help the armed forces community live well after service. There are many ways we help veterans, their relatives, serving personnel, and people who worked alongside the UK military such as:
We help people with their physical and mental health needs, and a range of welfare issues.
Our support gives people the skills, confidence and knowledge to make a success of life in the civilian world.
Our teams can help people get back on their feet, if they are having money problems, need somewhere to live, are struggling to get a job, or don’t know how to apply for benefits.
We run sporting and social activities across the UK, and online, to combat loneliness and isolation. We provide financial grants for things such as home adaptations and medical equipment, to help people overcome challenges from illness or injury. Our free online courses and self-help guides give people life skills so they can live independently.
It’s an injustice that people don’t get a fair deal from the country they risked everything for. That’s why we campaign relentlessly to call on Government and society to do better by the veteran community.
What has made you choose Trophies Plus Medals?
As part of the Big Battlefield Bike Ride, we award participants with trophies for showing true grit and determination to overcome their barriers to complete the challenge, this includes our very own wounded veterans as well as our fundraiser riders. The riders come in a whole variety of shapes and sizes, so we embrace the lycra together and have a fun award to recognize a participant that looks “lovely in lycra”. Trophies Plus Medals have shown great spirit in supporting worthy causes previously whilst also sharing our fun approach to making a difference to peoples lives and ensuring that they have suitable keepsakes from their adventures, so it was an easy choice.
What TPM product have you chosen for your event?
I think the Heavyweight Classic Custom Logo Medal 70mm accompanied with our very own charity colours on the ribbon and bespoke challenge logo was a perfect choice.
To find out more about the ride, follow this link:
https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/fundraising/big-battlefield-bike-ride-2023/
It is a pleasure to feature our valued customers as guests on our blog. Through their stories, we are able to gain an insight into the unique and individual reasons behind their orders. We are grateful to all our customers for their continued support and are honoured to have played a small part in helping them achieve their goals. We look forward to continuing to provide an excellent service and products to all of our customers and hearing more of their inspiring stories in the future!
Would you like to feature in our blog?
If you would like to feature, get in touch today! We would love to hear from you. If you have recently made an order with us and would like to feature on our blog get in touch with us at sales@trophiesplusmedals.co.uk.
Who are we?
We are Trophies Plus Medals, and we understand how important awards are for sports teams and how they can provide motivation for teams to win. With the right award, you can celebrate the occasion and provide personalised recognition for a team’s achievement. Our goal is to enhance the overall experience of your games, tournament, or event with a tailored award. Contact us today to discuss your ideas and find your winning product. You can call us at 01788 42 22 22 or email us at sales@trophiesplusmedals.co.uk
Why choose us?
We supply high-quality products for varying price ranges, meaning our products are suitable for everyone, whether an individual, company or charity. We also provide free metal plate engraving making our awards customisable for your specific needs, saving the time and hassle of getting a product engraved once you have received it. With our wide range of products and excellent customer service, we consistently receive positive Trustpilot feedback of 9/10 or above. 24-hour delivery is also available when ordered before 12 pm for those last-minute events, making us the fastest trophy and award delivery. So, order your next awards from us today!