What can I say? Thank you so much for attending our Conference on Friday and giving such an inspirational talk on your Challenge. The evaluations from the day have all (without exception I might add) said what an inspirational talk you delivered and one delegate in particular said this ” Dave was an amazing and inspiring person – I will never forget him when I am having a bad day. I will always remind myself of him forever more. A truly remarkable man”. I think we all feel that about you really – it was a pleasure to meet you and have you at our event. Sue Baker
Again on behalf of NBCS we were delighted with your excellent talk on Tuesday evening. It really made people think. Tracy and I went back to Carters on Wednesday and Holly and Kate both said they had several emails from our guests saying what an impression you had made and they will always be grateful for their sight. Rightfully so NBCS
Thank you for the outstanding talk you gave the Young at Heart group and other members of staff and centre users yesterday at St Thomas’s Community Network. We had been told that you were an inspirational speaker but had no idea just how enlightening, humbling and invigorating your words would be. Deb Brownlee
Hi Dave I just wanted to say hello and thank you for coming to the Virgin Money staff day in London. I found you truly inspirational. You story was one of the main topics of conversation during and after the day. I actually had goose bumps when you went on stage and talked to us. We all grumble about life and you have overcome and achieved so much I feel proud to have met you in this way. I came back from London that day and all I talked about to my family was you and how inspired I was. Good luck in your next adventure (no mountain climbing though). Sharon Virgin Money
Hi Dave, Just a short message to thank you again. Your speech was excellent and appropriate for the message that we are trying to put across to our employees. The feedback I have received has been superb and I know that you will be the talking point for many weeks. Good luck for tomorrow when you face the press, and all the best for August, we are all behind you and will raise some sponsorship internally because the lads want to show you some support. All the best, Regards Simon
I wanted to say thank you once again for your amazing and inspirational story you shared with us all in Cheltenham yesterday. It moved me to tears and yet made me laugh. I will be sharing your story to many of my team. Graham Barritt
Mate I hope this reaches you. To start, It’s Scott Castledine as in the one that was at college with you around 1999. Dave I wanted to get in touch to thank you really mate. I Heard you on a radio WM interview around 3 or so years ago, just before you started out on all this fantastic and amazing fundraising. In the interview you spoke of the huge difference having a guide dog had made to your life. I sat listening to the whole thing and around that time having been through a hard time wondering just who I was and what the hell I had to even get up for. I found so much hope in what you said. Well I could bang on about all that all night, but here’s the bit that matters. After that I picked up the phone the very next day and called Leamington centre and told them I would like to talk to someone about a dog. I’d never have done that if I’d not heard that radio piece by you Dave. A month ago I qualified with Sam, my first dog and I vowed if I ever did I’d find a way to say thank you to you. So thank you. My only regret is that I waited this long to get a dog it makes a bigger difference than I’d ever have thought. Dave your the man and thank you for doing just what you do your a star. Scott Castledine
I thought I’d drop you a line to thank you for yesterday. Everyone I spoke to were seriously impressed by your presentation, and as part of the design group we stayed afterwards to study the evaluation sheets from the delegates. I have to tell you that comments about you included words like “brilliant” “awesome” and “wow” so I guess we can happily say you were a success!! (And everyone loved Wicksie.) Thanks once again it has been great knowing you and all the best for the future. Linda Baker
Thanks for all your time this year for Insight Radio, you’ve always gone the extra mile even when your busy. Simon Pauley
Hi Dave – thank you so much for today, the kids were buzzing when I got back to school, can’t tell you how excited they were to meet you and lots of staff commented on how well you related to the pupils. Tracey Sutcliffe
Last night was just amazing- what an inspiring man!!! -and Wicksie was quite cute too! The best guest speaker that we have ever had! Thank you so much Dave – staff have not stopped talking about your speech all day- and we are a “hard to impress” bunch! Summerhill School Kingswinford
Well Dave I never doubted that you would ever fail with this challenge and watching what you and Mac have put yourselves through in this past week, let alone all the training that you have done, leaves me speechless Mel and I were at Mels parents today for lunch and we had the marathon on the telly all the time. At 2pm BBC coverage stopped so we switched to BBC Interactive. Four screens in one showing pics of the various finishing lines and pictures of people on the route.
After texts from Grace to say you were at 20 miles and then 24 miles we sat and stared at the telly for ages just to see you cross that final line. WHAT A MOMENT! Mel was in tears and I felt so very proud to be able to say you are someone I know. You looked exhausted but so pleased to have done it! All I can say is what an amazing achievement for you and Mac to have finally completed this challenge. We have been watching the various news broadcasts since you have finished and has a laugh at the interview you gave to ITN nearly as soon as you crossed the line. The words “We’ve only gone and bloody done it” just sum you up mate. Well I hope that you have enjoyed the experience through all the pain you have put up with. We have certainly enjoyed watching the vlogs on the ITV Central website. Enjoy a few cold pints of guiness – you deserve them for sure. WELL DONE AGAIN DAVE Richard Harris Wife’s Cousin
Punishing isn’t it!! Brilliant Mike Stroud Mike Stroud OBE
I see from the news that you successfully completed your seven magnificent marathons by finishing the London marathon in good time. I extend the warmest congratulations, on behalf of the Falkland islands, to you, Mac and the rest your team. It was a tremendous effort, both physically and mentally for you and Mac and logistically for your team. I can only wonder at the enterprise, resilience and mental fortitude that kept you all on track. Well done. Here in the Falklands, we are all delighted that you decided to run your first marathon at Mount pleasant and have taken vicarious pride in your achievement. We hope that you enjoyed the experience and that you have been successful in raising the requisite funds for charity. Now enjoy a well earned rest, if your sponsors and the media allow you to..! Alan Huckle Governor of the Falkland Islands
Dave, I just wanted to add my congrats to all the millions of others you’ll have received. My admiration knows no bounds. An absolutely stunning achievement and inspirational to us all. See you soon and, again, very well done. Brilliant. Nick Owen Presenter BBC Midlands Today
Dear Dave We met in Leamington Spa in March at the Guide Dogs open day, and again just after your press conference when you had finished your seventh marathon in London. I’m sure you have been inundated with congratulations but I just wanted to add mine again. I did a half marathon a couple of years ago and it nearly killed me. Since then I had done no running, and never thought that I’d be the kind of person to attempt a marathon – that is, until I read about you in my copy of Marathon News last year. Then I decided that I wanted to run the marathon for Guide Dogs. I still don’t consider myself much of a runner. I had a bad knee injury for all of January and most of March which meant that I wasn’t able to do as much training as I’d have liked. Still, I managed to get around the course in 5 hours, 55 minutes and 29 seconds. When the going got tough I thought of you, running your way around the globe, and that gave me plenty of energy to keep on going. I still can’t comprehend what you have done! I am in such awe of your fantastic achievement. Not only have you raised money for Guide Dogs, but you have inspired thousands of people (with and without sight) all over the world. Thank you for motivating me to run the marathon. April 13 was one of the best days of my life. I’ve raised lots of money for Guide Dogs and I feel so happy to have been a small part of such a great charity. And it is an honour to have been part of the Blind Dave team. I have a photo of us both (taken just after the press conference) ready to frame and will take great pride in telling my friends and family and future generations about the amazing Blind Dave. I hope you’re being waited on hand and foot and that you are enjoying a well earned rest. Very best wishes to Mac and you and HUGE congratulations again to both of you. Orpha Phelan
Hi Dave, I’m so flipping proud of you. Even when you told ITV that I was going to run the marathon with you it made me proud! I’ll watch the documentary, and by the way, did I say I was proud of you? Tom Watson MP
Away from home again Dave, but followed you all the way – not literally of course You were – are – fantastic, wonderful, brilliant and of course mad! Many congratulations my friend. G T Graham Taylor
Hello champ! just got back from Vegas covering the Joe Calzaghe fight for Setanta, so didn’t get to see any of this. What can I say mate,my eyes have filled up watching. This has been the Muhammed Ali of achievements…truly breathtaking. Well done Dave, proud to know you and proud to be associated with a real world class athlete. Look forward to a pint with you on June 15th. Your friend always, Richie Woodhall
Dave I watched the documentary last night. Both my wife and I shed a tear. We are very proud of you. Keep it up and let us know if we can help with your next adventure. Paul Noon British Consul-General Sydney
What a fantastic achievement. We followed your progress all the way in this house. I’m so proud of you mate and so humbled by your magnificent achievements. I was there on Monday but over in the East Stand Upper tiers with my boys. Great night. Hope to see you again soon. With love to the family. Malcolm Boyden
Just a short note to thank you for taking the time to come to talk to our volunteers on Friday at Tollgate. It was little short of magnificent (much like the actual marathon feat itself!) and most definitely inspiring. An amazing story, told with great humor and warmth, and that was extremely well received. We have had a lot of really positive feedback already and I know that, for an audience mainly involved in the breeding side of things, the opportunity to listen to your experiences as a GDO, defying your disability in completing such an awesome challenge, was truly valuable and inspirational. Thanks once again and look forward to seeing you again soon. Very best wishes Matthew Botomley Breeding Centre Manager Guide Dogs for the Blind
I don’t know where to begin thanking you for today, everyone was so thrilled about you coming to visit us. When I got back to school after taking you home all the children had left but the staff where sitting round talking about the fantastic day we had had and how wonderful you were with the children. They were particularly thrilled with the way you responded to Richard and how proud his Mum was, she had probably never heard him praised in public before. Everyone is really pleased that you want to come and see us again when the plaque is up and I will certainly let you know when that happens. Many, many thanks once again. Sally Frost Cherry trees learning Centre
Good to see you at QAC to-day Just wanted to repeat what I said in the entrance to-day. That was a fantastic speech. It was well constructed, fluent, well paced, well targeted at the audience with a good sense of humour. As they say down under as far as public speaking is concerned you have no worries. Please give my best wishes to Debbie and the girls. John Hillbourne Guide Dogs Trustee
Class mate – we are looking forward to having you with us. You are a true legend. I was in Philadelphia last week and I was telling my yankee colleagues about your feat and they were amazed. One of the said “.. he must be a totally awesome guy” – I said he is and he comes from the centre of the universe – the black country !!! Take care Charlie Blakemore Chasetown Manager
Now I do know you are barking mad Dave! 7 marathons in 7 continents in 7 days. Do me a favour! There are only people like Ranulph Fiennes who do things like that. What? You are going to follow in his footsteps. Same marathons, same continents – all in 7 days. Good luck my friend. You are a magnificent example to the rest of us. By the way 7 marathons equal 183.4 miles. Barking mad. Barking mad. Graham Taylor
Dave Heeley is a true hero to attempt the magnificent seven challenge. For someone who can not see his is the most far sighted man I have ever met. In my lifetime I have been privileged to manage some of the worlds biggest stars…. The Beegees, Eric Clapton and Ian Botham. Dave Heeley’s skill, spirit, determination and vision compares with these icons. The money and awareness he raises for Guide Dogs for the Blind is legendary. It is an honour to know him and to be his friend. David English MBE
“Dave’s continued fund raising for “Guide Dogs For The Blind” is truely remarkable! This latest challenge would test the endurance of any world class athlete. Go for it Dave, your an inspiration to us all.” Richie Woodhall
I couldn’t even contemplate running 7 miles these days so Dave’s marathon task is set to be an incredible achievement. “However, I don’t care how tired he is, Dave will still have to open the batting in June when we face the Bunburry’s Ian Clarkson (former Blues captain)
Dave is an inspiration to us all – his determination and drive for success is out of this world. Everyone at Chasetown Football Club would like to wish Dave and his support team the very best of luck in their unbelievable running expedition. Please get behind Dave and support him with donations to reward him and the team for the massive task they face. Good luck from Charlie Blakemore – Manager Chasetown Football Club Good luck my mate – you are a legend. Charlie Blakemore
I’m supporting you every inch of the way. All of my very best wishes to you and your lovely family. Malcolm Boyden
What an inspiration you are. You made me feel very humble and very proud at the same time. Proud that I can say that I know such a special human being. Humble because you are taking on such a spectacular challenge.
And what a lovely atmosphere with some of my old Albion (and boxing) mates present. Well done mate. Richie Woodall
I am writing to congratulate you and your team on a wonderful evening last night for both parents and boys. Your keynote speaker was exceptional and I would appreciate it if you could let him know that he not only inspired the boys, but the mums and dads too. It was a privilege to listen to how he turned his life around and continued to live his dreams whilst remaining positive. It was a real surprise to see him there, as of course we have heard about him in the news. The Awards Evening is a great initiative by Lordswood and I am sure will help to continue to motivate the boys. I do have some contacts in the sporting world and know people like Linford Christie, David Moorcroft , Christian Malcolm very well – so if you ever are looking for another inspirational speaker, I am sure I could assist you, they would be FOC of course.
Thanks again very much for a special evening, it was really great for all the boys and the parents. Tony & Cherry Crawford
blinddaveheeley.co.uk 
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