Dale Howting - raising money for Charities since 1977 |
||
|
When Dale returned to England from Australia in 1973 he started work as a postman with the
Sittingbourne Post Office. He quickly got involved helping friends, neighbours and local charities
. He would sell programs of events, assist with street collections, jumble sales and carnivals,
up to 1977 it is estimated he raised £2000. In 1977 he was beginning
to be recognised within Sittingbourne due to his constant, albeit often out of tune, whistling.
Early that year he became the subject of a very strong complaint from the wife of a night worker
to his manager. It amounted to the lady in question writing "my husband works shifts and when he
is on nights he expects to sleep during the day, especially in the mornings. This is not
possible because of the infernal "whistle" of one of your postmen, who can be heard a mile away.
"PLEASE STOP HIM". His manager duly obliged but this caused a stronger outcry. Indignant phone
calls and a string of letters to his employer were made, all asking "what kind of employer
would stop a jovial character enjoying himself and giving pleasure to others." Some even wrote
to the local and national press. Suddenly Dale became a "star" with his manager as the "baddy".
TV crews and press reporters descended on the town and following discussions a compromise was
reached where Dale would be allowed to whistle on his round but not near the complainant's home.
This worked well, the press and TV getting their pictures and stories and the people of Sittingbourne
getting their "whistler" back. All was back to normal - or was it?
During the 1978 carnival season the local charities committee's float became involved in an accident, with the result that a new one was needed. With the earlier publicity surrounding Dale's "whistling", the local carnival Chairman and the Post-manager got together and Dale undertook his first charity cycle ride. The route was from Sittingbourne to Margate a return distance of about 80 miles (130 KM). Dale became a celebrity on route and was made very welcome by a reception committee (including Post Office personnel) at Margate. This effort raised £2000 and Sittingbourne had a new carnival Float In 1980 Benenden Chest Hospital was attempting to raise money to build a new wing, this seemed to present a challenge. Enter Dale and with the help of numerous people working behind the scenes another cycle ride, this time 200 miles (320KM), was organised. The route was from Sittingbourne (starting at the hideous time of 3am) to Brighton via Benenden. With much public support and an urge to see the newly opened nudist beach in Brighton, Dale sped off on his way. By noon he was welcomed on the South coast by the regional Post Office managers. Dale returned back to Sittingbourne by 9.45pm, only to find a reception, prepared by his manager's wife, was waiting for him. He was delighted as well as saddle sore and weary. Many friends, his work mates and, of course, the press gave him a tremendous welcome. Just think for a few moments - 16 hours were spent on the saddle of his post office cycle, which had completed a 19-hour day. The secret of his success was learned when out of his "pack of spares" fell a tin of baby cream, it is surprising how soothing it appeared when rubbed into the parts only a saddle can reach. With the promise of £6,000 from his sponsors announced at the end of the day, a very tired Dale went home - on his bike. 1981 saw the "Dale in Europe Tour" for the first time. This time it was the Sittingbourne Christmas Lights Association who had announced that the town's lights would be extinguished unless £2000 could be raised. This time an ambitious cycle ride to Sittingbourne's twin Belgie town of Ieper was embarked upon. Much careful planning for Dale and his back up groups, on each side of the channel, was needed. With the actual ferry distance included Dale clocked up 36 miles (480 KM) and £2,500, saving the town's lights. 1982 saw the Mayor (who was also on the Post Offices Management team) request Dale's cycle skills for another fund raiser. This time is was for Mentally Disabled Children and Dale cycled to many of the schools within the borough's boundaries, raising over £2,000 Dale agreed to reserve 1983 to raise funds for the Women's section of the Royal British Legion who had been waiting for a new vehicle for the transportation of War Veterans and disabled persons to various functions for about 2 years. Another cycle ride saw Dale ride 132 miles and lay a few token wreaths on a member of Kent's War Memorials, this effort raised £2,500 as well as making Dale very popular among the British Legion Members. When Dale embarked on his first European tour three years earlier a "French Connection" was envisaged. This again required careful and througher planning. The Marie Curie Institute was the target at the Paris end and £5,000 was the financial target. Both of these were achieved and the total raised was actually £5,500. The French treated our intrepid cyclist to good food, wine and hospitality. Dale was then given permission to go sightseeing on his own, but was arrested for paying too much interest to the Presidential Palace. This was soon rectified although Dale was happy to get a bed for the night. The long slog back to Sittingbourne was off to a good start next morning, with the local police helping him through the traffic and filling his collecting box. The Molly Wisdom Hospice was the beneficiary on this occasion and when Dale eventually arrived home, another 450 Miles (720 KM) behind him. In 1985 Dale probably undertook his most hazardous cycle ride when he rode from Sittingbourne to Wokingham. The 200 miles (320 KM) route combines busy trunk roads, link-up roads, fast dual carriageways and constant fast moving heavy traffic. Try cycling 30 miles (50KM) in such conditions and you will quickly realise the risks that Dale undertook. Not only for Dale but also for his escorts, who also lost him several times. This nerve racking experience was for the local branch of the Guide Dogs for the Blind and the charity's leading training school is at Wokingham. Dale raised £3,000 from this adventure. Lifeboats were the recipients during 1986 so that years ride was to all eight lifeboat stations in Kent. This time Dale suffered heavy rain and high winds during two of his four days adventure. The highest winds were as he was cycling along the Thanet Coastline east of Margate and did not subside until he reached Dover. On one particular stretch of road, about 12 miles (20 KM), which was open to the sea, took Dale over 4½ hours. When Dale was asked by his organiser and escorts to "call it day and his cycle on the lifeboat trailer" he responded with an emphatic "NO". Later that evening during supper Dale explained "the people of Sittingbourne have sponsored me to cycle all the way and in no could I cheat by putting "Good Girl" (Dale's name for his cycle) on to the trailer. With 200 miles (320KM) behind him £4,000 was raised. in support of this venture a Special Commemorative Cover was produced and these are still being sold at Lifeboat functions. In 1987 Dale undertook a 100 mile cycle ride throughout the Medway Health Area and visited eight hospitals. This was due to his father being a patient at a local long-term hospital and he wanted to replay the hospital for their kindness and help. His target of £2000 was easily passed. 1988's charity cycle ride was already being planned and the beneficiaries would be the British Heart Foundation. In addition to his Sponsored Cycle rides for "Local Charities" Dale had also been involved in the 1984 and 1985 national charity rides for postmen organised by the Charities Guild of Great Britain, when over £10,000 was raised. He was also a finalist in the Regional and National Postman of the year Competitions and for his "Community Sprit" attended a "Special Honours Lunch" arranged by Sir Ron Dearing, Chairman of the Post Office Board. This particular lunch brought together postmen from all over the country to receive the personal appreciation of the Post Office Senior Directors for their involvement in the community over and above their normal duties. Dale's cycling feats for charity was brought very much to the forefront of the speeches, as were his reported "domestic duties". These included cleaning of old people's windows, shopping trips for the less able-bodied, hedge trimming, cutting down trees, and cleaning gutters. On one occasion helping an elderly heartbroken gentleman put his dead dog into deep freeze. It appears that the dog had died during a very severe period of the winter when no grave could be dug. So Dale wrapped the dog into well-sealed sacking and polythene bags put it into the freezer until the ground had thawed sufficiently for a burial to take place. Even if Dale's whistling has not always endeared him to some members of the community his friendly nature and happiness has captivated the very young. His love for children led him to another splendid venture, which received much local press acclaim and public support. A double murder of two children in Brighton, set Dale in thinking and talking about ways in which children could be encouraged NOT to talk to strangers. The idea was born to provide stickers for children to wear which is quite simple in context but most effective in practice. SITTINGBOURNE'S WHISTLING POSTMAN SAYS CHILDREN DO NOT SPEAK TO STRANGERS. With his organiser's support local firms encouraged Dale and paid for the printing of 5,000 stickers. Also the Post Office and Sally Line Ferries each paid for some stickers. The ferry company also printed their own supply. The local branch of The Royal Society of St. George paid for 5,000 and three local firms produced metal pin badges for children to wear. This project was considered very worthwhile. By 1987 he had also participated in jumble sales, street collections, programme selling, and at carnivals. He has also been known to speak at small public meeting and functions (although he prefers to avoid them). He often receives invitations to open fetes and to make the draw at raffles and functions. He has become a familiar sight at boot fairs, with an old parcel barrow loaned to him in 1982. With the help of his organiser many "bits and pieces" are collected, cleaned up, sorted and sold, this raised more than £3,000, which has been mainly for the Royal Society of St George. Another sideline to Dale's efforts involves obtaining the autographs of the country's famous people, most of them on special commemorative envelopes of Dale's past cycling achievements. During his working life Dale gave up two weeks of his annual holiday the first week to do the cycle ride and the second (and the more difficult) was to collect the promised sponsorship money. Dale continues to raise money for charities and as of December 2004 is normally seen at the High Street entrance to Roman Square Monday to Saturday (except during very bad weather when he retreats to the forum) and at "Homebase" in the Sittingbourne retail park on Sundays. This is now his main source of raising money primarily for Demelza House and the Kent Air Ambulance. In 2004 (normally year end is 30th November each year) Dale raised over £6,063 for these charities, and even in December 2004 the kind people of Swale have added a further £1,300 to his fund. Thanks to an event at the Sittingbourne Dog Track. Dale acheived his £200,000 target on 15th August 2007.
Charities that received this money for 2009 were:
|
| |