I am raising money for Caudwell Children, a national
charity that helps thousands of families each year who face a constant battle
to provide their children with the equipment, treatment and therapy they desperately need.
Please sponsor me as I face my own personal battle to
overcome the toughest physical challenge I have ever faced.
Mine is a challenge that may beat me, and if it does I
shall return disappointed and a little embarrassed, but the families I wish to
help do not have that luxury.
For them there is no option to ‘throw in the towel’ or
‘try again next year’ – their battle is life or death.
So please sponsor me as I put my body on the line
later this month and think of the difference your donation will make to
children’s lives.
It’s 110 miles long, which is challenging but completely doable.
It’s 14,000 feet of vertical climbing, which makes it a lot more difficult.
Some of the gradients are up to 13% steep for long distances, which starts moving me into impossible territory.
It is likely to be in very hot weather, something that I can’t cope with at all - the dehydration sets in no matter how much you drink, the head explodes and you just want to collapse.
Finally, there is the added pressure of it being timed. A fleet of coaches with France’s best gendarmerie cruise along behind us swooping up all those riders who can’t achieve the pre set pace.
I am dreading the ride, but even more dreading that coach catching me up and parceling me in with as many as 6,000 other failures.
So why on earth am I doing it?
Well, I would like to raise as much as possible for the children the Charity helps
£100,000 – this would fund life saving cancer treatment in the US for one child
£20,000 – provides an electric wheelchair which transforms a child’s life in terms of physical independence, physical support and emotional security.
£10,000 – enables a child to learn to walk with innovative therapy.
£7,000 – funds a dying wishes holiday to Disney Land providing everlasting memories for the family (probably the only holiday they will ever have).
£1,000 – provides the parents of autistic children with the skills to significantly unlock their child’s potential and improve the whole family environment.
£100 – provides a portable nebuliser for a child with breathing difficulties.
No matter how small a donation, it all adds up to changing a child’s life, so please please just give whatever you can!
