MILES for SMILES – Sooey’s special mission

Hi guys, my name is Sooey!

I’m a festive snowman on a special mission.

I’ve been recruited by Marsh Industries to lead their ‘Miles for Smiles’ Christmas fundraising campaign.

My mission is to travel 20,000 miles in 5 days across the UK with the Marsh Team; bringing a smile to every person I meet along the way.

Now, I may look like an ordinary festive snowman, but underneath this hat, scarf and gloves is a cute and cuddly figure destined to bring joy and Christmas cheer to the nation.

My mission runs from 16-20th November and, if I’m successful, Marsh Industries will donate £1 per mile covered between four UK Children’s Hospitals:

Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity
Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity, Cardiff
Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity
Helping Hand – Charity to The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children

***UPDATE***

My mission is now complete and I’m pleased to say it was a complete success. Read my blog below to see how we did it and check out the Marsh social media channels using the hashtag #SooeyMarsh for all the pictures and videos.
Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter

Sooey’s mission blog

Day 5 – Friday 20th November

We did it …20,661 miles in one week!

Well, we covered 5140 miles today and smashed our mission target of 20,000 – I could not be happier!!!

Today we saw, Herefordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Shropshire along with many, many more. I must say, I have seen some really beautiful countryside on my travels, but today it looked even better with the morning frost (My kind of weather!).

It has been a week I will never forget, especially after sharing big smiles with all the lovely people I have met.

I would like to say a big thank you to my mission buddies who I have spent so much time with over the past 5 days. It has been a pleasure getting to know you all. The smiles and laughs we have shared will never be forgotten.

My buddies at Marsh have supported me from when I first decided that I wanted to make more people smile, and over the past week they have really looked after me and made sure I was up for the challenge. They even made sure my bed was nice and cozy every night – thanks guys.

I’m also very proud that we achieved our target because it means I can also share smiles with all the boys and girls across the country who will benefit from the generous £20,000 (£5000 each) that Marsh will be donating to their children’s hospital charities. A special thank you to my Mission Chief, Steve Boyer, and his team at Marsh Industries. You guys are the best!

Lastly, I want to say the biggest snowman thankyou to all the lovely people who have kept up to date with my mission. Although I may not have seen you in person, I really, really hope I have made you smile too.

Now, time for me to celebrate with my buddies – I might even have a little glass of Sherry or two!

Keep an eye out for me over winter, you never know I might be popping up in your gardens if it is chilly enough. If not, don’t worry, I have already started working on a plan for 2021 so I hope to see you then (I think I’d better run that past my Mission Chief first!)

Have a happy and healthy Christmas. With love,

Sooey x

Places I visited today:

Usk
Hereford
Aylesbury
Olney
Hertford
Shrewsbury
Brentwood
Bristol
Holsworthy

Day 4 – Thursday 19th November

3461 miles covered today!

After topping up on more service station snacks for me and my buddies, we set off at sunrise to bring smiles to more of our happy customers – observing social distancing of course!

Some of the places I visited today included Carmarthenshire, Herefordshire, Kent and Devon, taking in all of the beatuiful sights and sounds along the way (Radio Caroline was playing our favourite tunes!). Not only was I helping my buddies deliver sewage treatment plants, I also helped them collect some parts for the team back at mission HQ.

Good news is that I only have 4749 miles to go to hit my mission target of 20,000 miles by the end of the day tomorrow.

So, an early night is needed before the final day of my mission tomorrow. I really hope I can hit my target.

Keep on smiling!!

Places I visited today:

Lladissilio, Carmarthenshire
Talley, Carmarthenshire
Berkeley, Gloucestershire
Biddenham, Kent
Laddingford, Kent
Cobham, Surrey
Hartley Wintney, Hampshire
Fownhope, Herefordshire
Brimfield, Herefordshire
March, Cambridgeshire
Grimston, Norfolk
Rhewl, Wales
Grindley Brock, Cambridgeshire
Isleham, Cambridgeshire
Thurne, Norfolk
Brashfield, Norfolk
Havant, Kent
Holsworthy, Devon
Redruth, Cornwall
Buxton, Derbyshire
Byley, Cheshire
Liverpool

Day 3 – Wednesday 18th November

I got a bit of a lie-in today – I didn’t need to be ready at mission HQ until 5am – woohoo, what a luxury!

After our pre-vehicle checks and load-up, we set off into the countryside. We saw many new places today… Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex, Worcestershire and Derbyshire to name only a few.

I’m starting to think I may need to go on a diet after this week; I seem to be eating as many service station snacks as I am giving out happy smiles!

With the great news that I am more than half way towards my 20,000 mile target, I may stay up a little later tonight. I might even make my buddies a sizzling stir-fry for their dinner – but don’t worry I won’t get too close to the hot frying pan!

See you all tomorrow…night night x

Places I visited today:

West Sussex
Surrey
Hampshire
Hertfordshire
Suffolk
Cambridgeshire
Worcestershire
Derbsyshire
Anglesey
Colwyn Bay
Ruthin
Llandegla

Day 2 – Tuesday 17th November

3590 miles covered today!

After a 3am start with my mission buddies, we set off from HQ to continue spreading festive joy across country.

We visited more of the UK’s beautiful countryside including Norfolk, Derbyshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria and Devon, laughing and joking along the away.

I’m pleased to say I covered 3590 miles today! This means I have covered an amazing 7733 miles so far. I am still on target for 20,000 miles by Friday!

I’m also pleased to be back at mission HQ. Travelling across the counrtry is hard work, but today I have hot chocolate and biscuits for tea as my reward.

I look forward to seeing what tomorrow has in store for us!

Places I visited today:

Congham, Norfolk
Weasenham, Norfolk
Llangwyllog, Anglesey
Lea Newbold, Cheshire
Pontesford, Shropshrie
Rodsley, Derbyshire
Kniveton, Derbyshire
Wilmslow, Cheshire East
Crays Hill, Essex
Wyton, Cambridgeshire
Ilseham, Cambridgeshire
Low Worsall, North Yorkshire
Alnwick, Northumberland
Longtown, Cumbria
Storrington, West Sussex
Mersham, Kent
Duncote, Northamptonshire
Uplowman, Devon

Day 1 – Monday 16th November

My mission is underway!

I had an early start from Mission HQ in Little Addington, leaving the yard at 4.30am – I was raring to go!

I saw some fantastic sights with my new buddies Steven, Alan and Matt. I reckon we are going to get to know each other so well after this week!

After criss-crossing the UK and raising some *SMILES* in the beautiful countryshire of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and West Yorkshire to name a few, I am very glad to be back at Mission HQ for the night! I’m so full up on Snowman Snacks I can barely move and need to get cosy for the night before I do it all again tomorrow… I wonder where we are off to then!

Places I visited today:

Berkeley & Redmarley in Gloucestershire
Hopton Wafers in Worcestershire
Shrewley & Rugby in Warwickshire
Kingston Bagpuize in Oxfordshire
Congleton in Cheshire
Castleford in West Yorkshire
Macclesfield in Cheshire
Kingsley in Cheshire
Crowntown in Helston
Hayle in Cornwall