RomanArmyTalk

Some of you may know that in just over two weeks I start marching in Italy, 130 miles /210 km from Capua to Rome. I am suffering a recurrence of a large blister on one heel. Cursed Roman boots. Aesculapius be good to me!

On another note: I'm still raising money for Combat Stress and Medecins Sans Frontieres, two worthy charities, and I wondered if any of you good people would be interested in the latest auction I've got going.

You could win a genuine quinarius of Mark Antony & Octavian, dated to 40/39 BC! It's worth over £200, and is a little slice of history, esp. when you consider M. Antony went on to lose at Actium, allowing Octavian to claim the 'throne' as it were.

YOU CAN ENTER THIS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. I WILL POST THE COIN ANYWHERE TOO.

To enter, you have to donate £10 to the charity page for our walk. £20 = two entries and so on. In your comment box, put something like 'coin auction'. I get notified about every donation, so I'll have your details. This auction will run for about a week, and then I'll pick the winner's name out at random.
I've placed a reserve of £300 on the coin, and if there's a shortfall, I'll make up the difference.

The giving page is at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/RomaniWalk - thanks, and get donating! Ben.

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Our very own Graham Sumner has made an incredibly generous donation of two paintings to the walk. (Thank you, Graham.)

They'll be on auction here soon...

I got a 404 type error with that URL, can you try it and correct? I suggest you add the HTTP:// so they hyperlink turns on.

Here you go - and thanks for asking!

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/RomaniWalk2014

That link works and I could contribute from the US.

forgot to put 'coin auction' in the comments though.

Thanks, Richard, gotcha, and will put you down for 1 ticket in the coin auction.

Hi

Paintings for auction to raise money for this event and the walk by Tony Riches are now in the Off Topic section.

Graham.

Did you mention this on FB RAT? At least there are 1100+ eyes to look at it. Might make it sticky until you walk.

Many thanks, Graham, for your generous offer.

Thanks too, Rich - I'll do that on FB.

About 29 hours left to get a donation in to be in with a chance to win this little beauty...

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It's now over, but I raised £600 with this auction. Not bad!

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Well, we made it to Rome! Didn't manage the whole distance - for various injury reasons, but marched at least the distance of Hadrian's Wall. Had the privilege of being met at the Porta Appia on the final day by Marcus Valerius Longinus and 7 comrades. They escorted us all the way to the Colosseum, where thousands (literally) of people took our photos. A surreal and amazing experience, and we raised some more money too.
Soon to be a documentary, available on DVD...

Great job Ben, well done!