Stoke Mandeville National Spinal Charity was set up in 2013 to support all patients and staff working with Spinal Cord Injury both in the UK and abroad. The charity is working hard to raise essential funds and they are currently focused on a fund raising project for a new £2m sports facility dedicated to patients.

Abroad they are currently supporting a training and education programme in Tanzania at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) who are opening their first dedicated Spinal Cord Injury Centre this year. Already they are making a difference through the involvement of nurses and therapists from Stoke Mandeville who train KCMC staff in the specialist care of spinal cord injury. They also provide funds to support the Kilimanjaro Association of Spinal Injury (KASI) who provide peer support to patients and families.

As for the ride itself, I have the honour of riding alongside David Griffiths one of the founders of the charity and also with hand cyclist Alan Cook who does exactly what the able bodied cyclists do in this truly inclusive event. This is the fourth year Stoke Mandeville have been one of the four official charities for the Hot Chillee London to Paris ride. 

Badby Park and Patron Capital are proud to be supporting this great charity and I have roped Tom Morgan, CBRE and Divan Kombrink into getting on their bikes and accompanying me in riding the over 500 kilometres from London to Paris!

This event is extremely challenging and I hope you will give support through donating generously to the Spinal Charity to help enable the rehabilitation of people who face bigger challenges every day and overcome them.