Story
<div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong>Land’s End to John O’Groats cycle ride</strong></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">June 2011</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong>In aid of Peter Congdon Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (7io6)</strong></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In August 2007 my beautiful baby daughter Martha was born at Leeds General Infirmary. She was terribly ill from the start of her short life and 5 days later my wife and I were devastated when she passed away.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">We were blessed to have the dedicated team at the Peter Congdon Neonatal Intensive Care Unit close at hand. They looked after Martha with total dedication, and I truly believe that her short life was made as comfortable as possible by their professional care. The team work in extraordinary circumstances week in and week out. Every day they are dealing with people living through their worst nightmares, and they do it with care, dedication and total professionalism. A unit like this should want for nothing, but this is sadly not the case and charitable donations are vital for them.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">To help with raising much needed funds and to go some way to expressing our gratitude, myself and my good friend Rob have decided to cycle the length of Britain. This is going to be a huge challenge, but it seems a fitting one.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Anyone who has ever come into contact with the team at the Peter Congdon Neonatal Unit will know that they are worth every drop of our efforts and of your donations. Those who have not can rest in the knowledge that if they ever need them they will be there to care.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Please give generously.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Many thanks, <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Simon .</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span>********************************************************</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span>Route:</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"> </span></span>Total miles: 967.2 miles</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"> </span></span></div>
</span></span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
<div>Day 1 (Sunday 5th June) - Lands End to Launceston (94.29miles)</div>
<div>Day 2 (Monday 6th) - Launceston to Taunton (83.45miles) <br />Day 3 (Tuesday 7th) - Taunton to Hereford (103.61miles) <br />Day 4 (Wednesday 8th) - Hereford to Nantwich (89.29miles) <br />Day 5 (Thursday 9th) - Nantwich to Lancaster (108.38miles) <br />Day 6 (Friday 10th) - Lancaster to Penrith (50.52miles) <br />Day 7 (Sunday 12th) - Penrith to Lanark (107.92miles) <br />Day 8 (Monday 13th) - Lanark to Crianlarich (98.6miles) <br />Day 9 (Tuesday 14th) - Crianlarich to Drumnadrochit (101.16miles) <br />Day 10 (Wednesday 15th) - Drumnadrochit to Brora (65.38miles) <br />Day 11 (Thursday 16th) - Brora to John O'Groats (64.6miles)</div>
<div>*********************************************************</div>
<div>Thank-you everyone who has donated so far. With 36 days left until we set off on our challenge we have already passed what we thought would be a very stiff target for donations. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity shown so far.</div>
<div>With this in mind I have been in contact with the Peter Congdon Neonatal Unit and they have informed me that they are currently in need of new monitoring equipment.</div>
<div>The Phillips IntelliVue MP30 costs £4662. The staff at the unit would find this an invaluable addition to their equipment. This is what we now intend to buy with your kind donations.</div>
<div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>18th May 2011 </strong>- We have just reached our second target relating to the purchase of the piece of monitoring equipment. This leaves our fundraising goal met with 17 days to go before setting off. After further discussion with the Peter Congdon Neonatal unit they have very happily set us another target. They are looking to buy a <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vapotherm Precision Flow High Flow system, cost £3800 (new total £8462). This seems like a massive fundraising challenge, but if we don't try we won't succeed! </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you everyone who has given so far, and if you are reading this wondering whether you'll give or not, then please do! Don't forget, you can follow our progress via the facebook page linked below.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div>********************************************************</div>
<div>You can now follow our Facebook page for updates before, during and after the ride.</div>
<div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1549812358#!/pages/Marthas-Cycle-Challenge/190405611005006">http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1549812358#!/pages/Marthas-Cycle-Challenge/190405611005006</a></div>
</span></span></span></div>