Story
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;">Hello.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;"><br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">In an impromptu couple of days, and inspired by <a href="http://www.infranceandlost.blogspot.com/">ten days in France</a>, I have decided to do two bike rides on two consecutive Sundays in September covering nearly 200 miles.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;"><br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">In a less impromptu gesture, I am riding in aid of the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research charity. As you may know, my Dad has been suffering from Leukaemia for the past year and it’s something that has had a big impact on my family.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">But we’re far from alone. 30,000 people are diagnosed with blood cancers in the </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">UK</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;"> every year. Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research is the only </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">UK</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;"> charity dedicated to finding causes and improving diagnosis and treatments for Leukaemia and other blood cancers. To continue their life saving research they need to raise £100 million over the next five years. Thankfully they're not relying on me to raise it all. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">Bike ride one on is ‘<a href="http://www.sunseaandcycling.com/cycle-the-wight.aspx">Cycle the Wight 2011</a>’ on September 18. This will take me 70 miles round the coast line of the </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">Isle of Wight</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">, a place my dad now calls home. I am hoping for nothing more than a light breeze and some flat roads. At 70 miles it is the warm-up.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">Bike ride two is <a href="http://www.accesssport.org.uk/ride-around-london">‘Ride around London’</a> on September 25. According to the website it’s a “challenging 115 mile” route that starts at the Herne Hill Velodrome,<span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></span><span><span style="color: #333333;">then goes up Box Hill, along the </span></span></span><span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: #333333;">North Downs</span></span><span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: #333333;">, through </span></span><span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: #333333;">Windsor</span></span><span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: #333333;"> </span></span><span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: #333333;">Park</span></span><span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: #333333;">, passing Eton Dorney and the Chilterns and finishes next to the new 2012 Lee Valley White Water Centre.</span> I hope they’ve built a bar at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, because I will need a drink after that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">My target is £370 - £2 for every mile. I know people are tapped up for sponsorship on a daily basis these days, but this is a great cause and one very close to my heart. Every penny counts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">Thank you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial;">Andrew</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>