Money raised from Birdman Competition donated to RIA

Manama : The Llongsteppers cycling section of the British Club, headed by its Chairman Stewart Walters, yesterday handed over a cheque for BD1,600 to the Rehabilitation Institute for Autism (RIA) Students Director Christian Gordon MBE on its premises in Mahooz.

The amount was raised following yet another successful annual Birdman Competition for ‘budding aviators’ at the club’s swimming pool, which recently celebrated its 22nd edition.

It featured over 40 youngsters,  of whom many donned ‘fancy dresses’ focused on popular and topical themes and personalities as dive or jump into the pool.

Then they measure how far they can “fly” down the length of the pool. No one has so far covered the entire length of the pool in the history of the competition.

“It is a great day out for both participants and the spectators and a way to reach out and do something good for the community,” said Walters.

Cash was raised through entry fees, corporate sponsorship, T-shirt sales and a raffle draw. Previous events have raised funds for other local charities such as Hope Institute for Handicapped, Think Pink Bahrain, Bahrain Orphanage, Bahrain Down Syndrome Society, Tony the Dogfather and the Hope Institute for the Blind.

Gordon said, “We are grateful to the British Club and all those who participated in the Birdman event. We appreciate the efforts of organisers, participants and all those supporting the event.”

Gordon explained that the RIA Centre has more than 100 students aged two to teenage years and the school is designed to help kids with their education, rehabilitation, behaviour and speech in English and Arabic.

“We hope to continue working with our supporters at the British Club and do our best for the kids. Though at times it can be difficult, we get the feeling of satisfaction when we make a difference,” concluded Gordon.

Every year a similar contest takes place in the South of England on the Sussex coast, where participants attempt to fly by jumping off a pier. It started at Selsey in 1971 then went to in Bognor Regis in 1978.

Since 2010, both Bognor Regis and Worthing organise the International Birdman Series with big prize money on offer.