Saturday 29 August 2015

Jack Whelbourne makes a difference

For Jack and his team mates it's a weekend to make a difference as they take part in the Nottingham Post, Good Deed Notts campaign.
 
Jack outside the Mary's Kitchen Café
via The Nottingham Post

Paintbrushes and overalls will replace ice skates and skin suits as the GB Short Track team step off the rink to give their local café a helping hand.

The Nottingham-based team – who have been training at the National Ice Centre, in Bolero Square, since 2000 – will spend the next three days revamping Mary's Kitchen Café, in Southwell Road, which is a stone's throw from the arena.

They will paint the café's eating area, put up a new sign at the front and install new lighting before the venue reopens on Tuesday.

The fundraising drive will see organisations, businesses and individuals raise money for charity, volunteer in their communities and give their neighbours a helping hand.

Team member Jack Whelbourne, who grew up in Lenton but now lives in Hucknall with European champion speed skater Elise Christie, is the makeover's project manager.

The 24-year-old, who made the semi-finals in the short track events at the 2010 Winter Olympics, said: "I go in the café every other day for food between training. It's great to be able to interact with locals and businesses and show them we are supportive in the community."
 
Jack in action
Fellow team member Jon Eley, who was born in Solihull but has lived in Nottingham for 14 years, says the café is a "team favourite". The 31-year-old, who represented Britain at the 2006 and 2010 Olympics, added: "We really like it there as it has a friendly atmosphere.

"Everybody in the team has come up with one good deed that they are going to lead, and the rest of us will help them out with it."

Mick Preedy, senior building manager of construction company Willmott Dixon, has provided the team with eight tins of paint, two electricians and the new sign. He said: "It's nice to put something back into the community."

The café's co-owner Denise Clarke said she was "honoured and excited" about the project and was looking forward to seeing the transformation.

The team aim to continue their community work by visiting ill children in the city's hospitals, encouraging people to keep fit by getting their skates on, putting their skills to the test and baking cakes and cleaning up community centres and parks.
 
You can follow Jack on Twitter @speedyboi158  and find out more about him through his website www.jackwhelbourne158.com
 
#Cafe #Nottingham #Post #GoodDeed #ShortTrack #TeamGB

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