**** PLEASE SEE THE VIDEO UPLOADED 1st Sept 2009 ****                                  

                    ****** London to Paris Bike Ride 5th to the 9th May 2010 - 500 KM (ouwch) ******

Update 12th November - Now cycling anything up to 50km per day - hard work but have now maxed out my electric bike. Have to keep this going through the winter and then hit the road hard come March. Fundraising is still going well. Plan to hit the amount by Christmas with luck.

I know I'm mad in doing this but it will serve two purposes, one I can lose weight faster than I am currently and two I wish to raise money for my son Alexander's charity the Birthmark Support Group. They can be found at http://www.birthmarksupportgroup.org.uk and was set up in December 1998 by parents of children with a birthmark at the suggestion of Drs Harper and Syed from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Its objective is to provide a UK based support group for anyone with a birthmark.

Please have a look through the photo's I have put on of Alexander to see how he has progressed under the care and guidance of the staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital. I'll also put up some video in due course.

I will also be blogging my journey as I prepare for this ride via facebook. I will place pictures of my adventure on facebook and if you wish to see them just add me in facebook, this will include buying the bike to riding the bike to falling off the bike I expect.

Below are the details The Birthmark Support Group charity and in particular some information about Alexander. Please please give anything you can, usually it is me donating to causes but this time I would really like to appeal to you all to give for my little lad (and my legs as I pedal 500km).

A massive thank you to all those that put their hands in their pockets thus far and please continue to pass this on.

Leslie

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Hi, thank you for visiting Alexanders fundraising page.

Alexander has had, since birth, two types of birthmarks, one internal (under his cheek) and the other external over the left side of his face.

Since the early days of spending weeks in Great Ormond Street hospital we have been supported by and also supported the Birthmark Support Group. This fantastic group of people offer support to families and children that is second to none.

In the last two years the BMSG has sought to produce a DVD which i have placed details about below. Sadly the group have exhausted all funds and are trying to raise a very small amount to enable them to distribute the DVD to Schools, Medical Profession and for parents (three films on one DVD).

Please take the time to read the below, dig deep and sponsor my son to assist the BMSG in geting this DVD to every school & hospital in the country.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Birthmark Support Group will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Thank you for your invaluable support. Together we can make a real difference in raising the awareness of birthmarks throughout the UK. Please forward the link to this page on to as many people as you can.

Leslie Pendlebury-Bowe

- A DVD commissioned by the Birthmark Support Group

This major project by The Birthmark Support Group aims to raise the awareness of birthmarks amongst the public generally and the medical profession in particular.

It contains 3 professionally produced films, one aimed at the medical profession, one as a resource for secondary schools and one for general information, particularly for parents of new babies with birthmarks. The films are presented by broadcaster Paul Heiney and include contributions from our patron, Esther Rantzen. The DVD will be accompanied by an 8 page A5 brochure.

The cost of producing and distributing 40,000 DVDs is a major call on our limited funds and we ask that you help us by ‘buying’ DVDs, perhaps to give as gifts, particularly this Christmas. You won’t actually receive the DVDs but -

£3 will place one DVD in a doctor’s surgery or a school

£5 will place two DVDs or £10 will place 5!