Good Morning everyone.

I think I've had an idea that could be huge, but I'll need a lot of help.

Just to introduce myself, my name is Andy and my Brother James and I have been Bulls season ticket holders for years. That doesn't sound special in itself except we travel from Newcastle to every game.

James has Downs Syndrome, and the Bulls are his love. In 2009 we completed 100 rounds of kickboxing on the Odsal field (my claim to fame is a Mr. Wayne Godwin broke my nose during it!!). During a long walk yesterday I had a eureka moment and ran it past James. We are going to walk from Whitley Bay to Odsal. It'll take a week and we need the Bulls on board. No-ones gonna talk us out of it, you can't stop a Bull when it's made up it's mind.

For those who think this next bit is ludicrous, please read the bit afterwards. This could raise the "other half million". All we need is 100,000 people thinking a lad with Downs Syndrome walking easily over 150 miles to try and save his beloved Rugby side is worthy of a fiver. Who wouldnt? Heaven's sake, people in his home town are doing just that, without a clue who the Bradford Bulls even are (Ive told them to hang on to thier fivers till we get this up and running). Our local landlord only knew they were a Rugby league outfit when he put the tele on so we could hear the somewhat "non-announcement".

Ive provisionally got Whitley Bay-Sunderland-'Boro-York-West Yorks (including Leeds and I AM being serious) as the route, ending at Odsal. We'll camp along the way. James is friends with a lot of Bulls players and I imagine they'd happily lend him some training gear for this.

Can we do it? It's why I told you about the 100 rounds. If youre still in doubt keying in James Lights Out Olsen to a well known file sharing site should get you footage of his honourary world title win (wKO3, v a 20 time world champ no less).

Hopefully I can get as many people behind this. The story of James's life is that with the right support, he is capable of achieving the impossible. If anyone sees a way they can help then Lord knows nows the time to come forward.

We walk for the Bulls, we're alright

I would happily donate £20 towards that.

I would even spend the full weekend walking with you.

i would certainly sponsor you for this.

Thank you. I'll speak with the club on how to best do this (someone from the club at every stage would be ideal) and will keep you posted. Out of all his achievements saving the Bradford Bulls would be his proudest!!

Might be worth setting up a Facebook page and offering a paypal option, just something to consider. I know a few people who have done similar things and it's an easy way to get the money in..

See, practical help like that is excactly what Im after, cheers.

Oh and if you raise 100k James gets a seat on the BOD! What a star. These are the stories the Banks don't care about!

I would definitely support this

Make sure that you have easy ways for people to pay money. Look into having a page on [urlhttp://www.justgiving.com/[/url for example. They also have text giving now on that site

The point I'm making is that most people will say to themselves 'Oh yeah, thats a good idea, I'll give to that'. But unless there is a very easy, quick and simple way to do so, then they'll often not get around to it.

Good luck

You could set up a JustGiving page aswell.
Then see if the club would give the Text donation number out at half time next week.

Im with you Paul cheers. Thanks bullboy as well, loads to consider. Apologies if this breaks any rules but you can all tweet advice like the above to @AROlsen1 (yes that is Odsal and I had to fight 75 rounds to get a face like that), or the star of the show himself @JameslightsoutO. @James2Odsal coming soon.

You could get Bullman and Bullboy to join you on the way, a couple of Cheerleaders never go a miss!

and I'm sure some of our walking injured would join in, there are enough of them. Maybe some faces from the past as well. Stevo, Clarky and some of the other TV pundits to get plenty of press coverage. I'm sure you can think of others.

James and Stevo go way back so I'm sure thats a possibility. Was gonna make a comment about how cheerleaders might take my mind off the 150+ miles but then remembered how old some of ours are. We're doing a twitter appeal (anyone feel free to follow mine and RT) for players past and present to support this. Im a budding Boxing journalist so have some media links, again anyone feel free to take this to anyone when we get it all confirmed (and I repeat, this WILL happen).

Think the hardest bit would be getting people to the North East for the early stages. And if we think about it, getting attention and publicity here will be the hardest. Walking round 'fax, Leeds etc. will be the most fun part. Expecting first class banter followed by a donation or else....

Andy the trick will be to get the media involved before the event which will give it publicity. And as the film says "People will come"

Super idea, love it.
Am pretty sure that you have to be a registered charity to be on JustGiving. The Bulls are not a registered charity (not yet anyway). There must be other ways to collect money though - Paypal, etc.

Would there be mileage (sorry!) in splitting funds raised with various local Downs Syndrome support groups along the way? This might increase sponsorship significantly AND support a charity as well. Could also attract more media attention for both causes and prevent giving fatigue for what many outside of RL heartland may see as a purely commercial enterprise not worthy of public support.

*Groans at pun* Hi and thanks for that. we did a fundraiser for the DSA a couple of years ago (James's world title win I mentioned in the OP. Its a good idea but They like it to be purely for them for the reason you gave, so people know what they are giving towards.

Also, we need to hammer home the message that what James is doing is surely worth a fiver of anyones money, so long as it isnt a bad cause its irrelevant what it is.

Anyone interested Check out and follow @James2Odsal we'll be giving regular updates.

[iThe Bradford Bulls Foundation[/i are registered to CharityGiving.co.uk which is what I was told to use for online donations.

As Toon fan myself I will support you. However I am an old fossil and don't understand Paypal or any of that nonsense. Just tell me where to send my money, or will meet you at the end of your mammoth journey. Fantastic what you are doing and many thanks.

Thats 2 of us divvnt get paypal. We will make it to the end so will be great to meet and thanks for the kind words. James not with me right now but cant wait to pass all this on

I'm sure others on here more savvy with modern things can help set up a Paypal account or something similar! There is always the old bucket option

yeah thought of that, we'll need a load of buckets, again I want someone from the club here who can bank the daily totals with everyone in the knowledge neither me or James want a penny for this.

Via twitter DM, Spannerz has given a load of practical advice. The initial high of thinking of this has been replaced with 100% focus. Thanks to people on here it seems less of an enormous thing to arrange. Keep 'em coming

Massive thanks to Kelly Cates (formerly Dalglish) For her twitter support. They go way back. I notice fans of other clubs are looking at this. Maybe you could put links on your site? Like love or hate us no true RL Fan would want a rival club to cease, and you never know if/when you might need our help, which we would do.

Also, the Rhinos fan with Downs doing something like this to help their club would get more from us than any fiver.

Sounds like a great idea but as mentioned you would need to get as much coverage as possible. Get a really good email put together with exact dates and times and James' story, explain James would like to create as much coverage as possible and would be available for interviews/photoshoots and invite journalists along to the walk, send the email to all the local (or maybe national too) newspapers, RFL press office, all the rugby papers, sky, BBC and radio stations etc. Good luck Yorkshire post: yep.newsdesk@ypn.co.uk Telegraph and argus: bradford-sport@telegraphandargus.co.uk and newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk Northern Echo: nick.loughlin@nne.co.uk (sports editor)

Sounds like a great idea but as mentioned you would need to get as much coverage as possible. Get a really good email put together with exact dates and times and James' story, explain James would like to create as much coverage as possible and would be available for interviews/photoshoots and invite journalists along to the walk, send the email to all the local (or maybe national too) newspapers, RFL press office, all the rugby papers, sky, BBC and radio stations etc. Good luck Yorkshire post: yep.newsdesk@ypn.co.uk Telegraph and argus: bradford-sport@telegraphandargus.co.uk and newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk Northern Echo: nick.loughlin@nne.co.uk (sports editor)

fantastic links cheers. Really cant believe how this has snowballed means a lot to me that my little Brother has an army behind him

I'm behind you as i'm sure every bulls fan is.