BEN'S SPORTING ADVENTURE TO HELP ORPHANS IN CAMBODIA

By The Bristol Post  |  May 08, 2014

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  Ben Gilks with orphans in Cambodia
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  Ben Gilks in Cambodia, presenting a cheque to help the Children's Fund; and with one of the children the fund will help
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  Ben Gilks with orphans in Cambodia

WHEN Ben Gilks started raising a few pounds for charity, he never imagined his efforts would lead to him becoming good mates with the Cambodian Prime Minister.

Or to dragon boat races on the massive Mekong river, or playing football against national teams.

But those are what the rest of 2014 is going to be all about for Bristolian Ben.

The humble amateur boxer who co-owns Nailsea Electrical in Bishopston has already raised £27,000 and built an orphanage in Cambodia. But he's out to raise even more – and he's got the country's PM on his side.

He has just come back to Bristol after a two-week trip to see the orphanage in action. The new building has saved 100 girls from living in derelict buildings and rubbish tips, vulnerable to starvation, disease, and kidnapping.

They are now in a protected environment, getting an education, and have access to washing facilities and bedrooms.

And for his next adventure, Ben is getting a team of 30 together for five sporting challenges.

They will play the national teams of Cambodia at football, rugby, volleyball, Australian football and dragon boat racing.

They have received a personal invitation from Hun Sen, the Prime Minister, whom Ben met while on his trip.

Ben said: "It was very humbling to go there and see where the money had gone.

"I went to see the orphanage with the British embassy and it was amazing.

"I'm determined to make this my sole priority, to provide and protect these children until the end. I just wish everyone who was a part of raising the money had the opportunity to see what I have seen.

"This was the most humbling experience of my life and cannot explain the self-satisfaction and how proud I was to be a part of this.

"I met a lot of people there and I've managed to set up my next challenge. We will be playing five national teams in Cambodia."

Ben hasn't put his team together yet, but it will be made up of friends and applicants, who will be carefully selected so everyone works well together.

The team will do three months of intensive training here, before flying over to complete the once-in-a-lifetime programme of events in October.

Ben said: "We've got to train together for three months over summer, and we'll probably try to arrange a match against Bristol Rugby club. We'll be racing up and down the Bristol Channel in our rowing boat too.

"Aussie rules football will be the hardest because we've never played it before, and I am sure we'll get thrashed at women's volleyball so that will be a laugh."

Ben raised £20,000 to start the orphanage off by competing in an amateur boxing tournament, Zero to Hero.

The Bristol competition trains novice boxers to become lean fighting machines, and Ben is a former rugby player who took up boxing training for fitness after suffering an injury to his head.

He fought in front of 2,000 people in Clevedon at the end of 2013 as part of the fundraising.

Ben said: "£20,000 goes a very long way in this Third World country.

"I have witnessed the girls' lives for myself and it would break anyone's heart to see other human beings live the way they do."