Story
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">Hi, welcome to my JustGiving page,</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">I will be starting my Africa to the Arctic, 4000 mile, cycle challenge on 20th April 2011 in aid of The Lady Mayoress' Charity and would be delighted to have your support. </span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">If you haven't met me before, my name is Paul Montgomery, I live in Whitstable, Kent and I have been Chief Executive of Strode Park Foundation (Kent's premier charity for people with disabilities) for the past 11 years.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">I am a keen cyclist and since joining Strode Park, I have undertaken two major cycle challenges to raise money for charity, the first in 2001 was from Lands End to John O'Groats covering 900 miles and the second in 2006 cycling from the East to West Coast of America, a total of 3500 miles. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">Now, with my 50th birthday looming - I'm preparing for my biggest and toughest cycle challenge to date. Starting on 20th April 2011, I will be cycling more than 4000 miles from Africa to the Arctic in aid of The Lady Mayoress' Charity. The journey will begin in Morocco following a route that takes me through 8 different countries, encountering extreme weather conditions, rough terrain and mountain ranges. The journey will finish in Norway in the Arctic circle. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">I will be travelling completely solo with no back up support. The trip will be entirely self funded and I am using annual leave for the time it takes to complete the challenge.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">The Lady Mayoress' Charity is supporting three very worthwhile organisations, each of which merits support and will be a source of inspiration during my ride. The three charities nominated by the Lady Mayoress are Strode Park Foundation for People with Disabilities, The Royal Lifeboats (RNLI) and Help for Heroes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">I am very aware that charities are experiencing difficult financial times so I very much hope I can raise a significant amount of money to share equally between the three nominated charities and give them all a much needed boost. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">Your support and encouragement would be fantastic </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">- please give a donation towards the work of these very worthy charities and help me get through 4000 very long miles!! I will keep you posted! <strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Many thanks! </span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">Thanks also for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;">So please dig deep and donate now.</span></p>
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