Many of you will know Neil Talbott, if not in person then at least by reputation. Neil’s crossword-solving skills are pretty good, as a glance at the Magpie stats will show, and a glance at the Listener stats will confirm. Like many of us, Neil has interests outside crosswords. Unlike many of us, those include taking on strenuous activities involving such unpleasantness as synthetic fibres and the outdoors.

Neil is currently planning on running the Marathon des Sables, which as you probably know is a sort of E-grade ultra-marathon run in the desert over several days. If it was a crossword, it would be set by Pieman.

That’s all very well, but why am I telling you this? Firstly, because Neil hasn’t given any feedback on this year’s puzzles so far (or indeed solved any) and feels their setters deserve to know why – and secondly because he is asking, very politely, and without making a big deal of it, for sponsorship.

His charity is The Brain Tumour Charity. He says “As well as offering invaluable support to people like my uncle Michael, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour two years ago, this charity funds world-class research and clinical trials into the causes and best treatments for brain tumours as well as promoting awareness of signs and symptoms which can lead to earlier diagnoses and therefore better prospects for sufferers.”

For people hungry for more information, there is a blog to read and a fund-raising page to visit, making giving simple! There is also a Marathon Des Sables web site, and a race page where no doubt it’s possible to track Neil’s progress throughout the race by GPS. Or if not, you’ll be able to get updates from Sunday.

Note: the race starts on the 6th of April.

Posted on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 at 10:45 am under News, Public.
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