Harry and The Smiling Monk

The shooting community is well known for giving generously to many good causes both inside and outside of the sport. Suffolk shooter Phil Thorrold is giving all of us an opportunity to help out a shooting family in real need. he has come up with a plan to help out the Dykes family from Drinkstone (formerly ICI) Gun Club in Suffolk.

5 year old Harry is the son of Nicola, grandson of Dixie and Jean Dykes, and a regular face at the Drinkstone gun club.  They are a proud and honourable family, who together with other committee members have run the Gun Club for the last 28 years.

When Phillip Thorrold and Paul Hubbard turned up to enter the first shoot of the year and asked the usual question "how are things?" they were shocked by the answer...

Harry was born with severe disabilities including Lissencephaly and Microcephaly, he also suffers from epilepsy and is registered blind.  Due to his special needs the family have applied to the local council for assistance in providing a ground floor living space for him, so that he can have a room for his special reactive equipment, this will remove the need for single mum Nicola to have to carry him up and down stairs, a task which in itself poses dangers.

Estimates for the work have been submitted but the family are still short of the required amount by some £20,000.

Now they have to cope with another devastating setback as Jean was diagnosed with Lung cancer in March of this year. She is now having chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This very proud family can still carry on with their positive attitude to life.

After hearing of the family's situation Phillip and Paul were stunned...Then they decided to do something to help..they have decided to help raise money to help the family get Harry's ground floor extension.

Paul Hubbard is raising money locally through his butchers shop in Walsham-le-Willows and through contacts he has in the local community.
Phillip Thorrold will be donning a Monks habit at the major Sporting Championships this year. This was an idea put together with good friends (probably over a beer ot two!) - those good friends have already pledged over a £1000 to this very good cause.

Both Phillip and Paul have also taken a vow of celibacy until 12pm on christmas day.

Phil admits that this is the hardest thing he has ever done, “The idea has come a long way since it started out as a bet between me and Paul Hubbard who is our Local Butcher, Its driving me crazy, its only the good cause that’s keeping me going.  You wouldn’t believe the people who are trying to tempt me into all sorts of things and are betting against me holding out until Christmas.”

On a serious note though Phil (now known as the Smiling Monk) will be visiting many of the major competitions throughout the year incuding the Essex Gun Masters and English Open Sporting at Southern Counties, please give him what support you can

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Jane Storey, a friend and Suffolk County Councillor, has agreed to look after the financial side of things and has set up a bank account in the name of "The Smiling Monks" This leaves them free to set about the important task of raising money for the family. Donation forms are now available.

Click here to view a donation form