Dear Family and Friends,
Every now and then we get a chance to help a cause important and special. Cancer has effected us all in varying degrees, this year will be the 10 anniversary of my mum, Carol Hastings passing at the age of 55 years. In memory of this, it is with great excitement (and trepidation) that I tell you my training wheels are now off and I have just started training for the End to Eng cycling Challenge (That’s from Lands End to John O’Groats in the UK) as a member of Team Emerson. The Challenge will start out on the 22 May from the end of Cornwall and I hope to arrive; 12 days, ~1600km and total of ~54,000ft climbed on Thursday 2 June to the top of mainland Scotland. (see map in pictures) I am sharing this experience with you and it is with a humble heart that I ask for your contribution to a special cause.. I have never been great at remembering dates & anniversaries etc (just ask my wife Tracey! J ) but I still clearly remember where I was standing the day dad called to let me know mum was in hospital and only had a few days left. . It was only a few years after she had abseiled 110ft down the side of our local hospital in Cambridge for Cancer charities in memory of her own mother. Recently I have been inspired by the story of Mike Grisenthwaite and how he has set up Cyclists Fighting Cancer. It is a charity whose purpose is to provide bikes, adapted tricycles and equipment to children and young people whose lives have been affected by cancer. In their words “..Our bikes provide a fun and practical way to regain lost strength, fitness and confidence...”. If you get a chance to please read his biography, It might inspire you too. http://cyclistsfc.org.uk/?page_id=411 I pla nto pay all of my own costs for this experience.. In these tougher times, if you can give even 1% of this cost to this worthy worthy charity we will have all taken our chance to help a cause important and special. Thank you so much for your thoughts and contributions Les Hastings
