Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.

Between 30th June and 4th July 2008 I will be joining 60 others to cycle 250 miles  from Staffordshire to Oxfordshire (via West Midlands, Warwickshire and Worcestershire) - apparently along country lanes, bridle paths, canal towpaths, rocky terrain and challenging hillsides!

This is bound to require an awful lot of training but the purpose of the challenge is to raise funds for Father Hudson's Society, the social welfare agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham.

I have a personal reason for supporting Father Hudson's Society because (many years ago!), having been given up for adoption as a baby, I was cared for by the Society for a short period before being placed, through the efforts of the Society, with my family.

Although a Catholic organisation,the Society provides care and support to vulnerable people without prejudice regardless of race, religion,colour,disability  gender or age.

Today, as well as its adoption and fostering services, the Society also provides residential care (for elderly people, those with dementia, adults with learning difficulties and/or multiple disabilities) and undertakes innovative community based projects to help some of the most vulnerable members of society. Three recent projects have been the Hope Family Project - providing support to vulnerable families, Brushstrokes - providing services for people who are destitute (especiially asylum seekers and refugees) and Anawim - providing support to vulnerable women involved in and around prostitution and drug abuse.

I would like to raise as much money as possible for a charity which has played such an important role in shaping my life in order to help it to go on helping others. I would therefore be very grateful if you would kindly consider sponsoring me, any amount, however small.

Some of the overnight food and accommodation has been provided free of charge and I have made a personal donation to cover the other costs involved so that all the money I raise really does go to the charity.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Father Hudson's Society 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!

Many thanks for your support.

Bernie Mackie