Paula's Help for Heroes, Big Battlefield Bike Ride

Paula Jarzabkowski is raising money for Help for Heroes

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Dear Family, Friends and Colleagues,

In June I cycled from Paris to London via the WW2 Normandy battlefields (@330 miles over 5.5 days), raising money for Help for Heroes to support injured members of the armed forces with everything from prostheses to rehabilitation - and to support their families in learning new ways of coping when they are left with discharged service people with life-changing injuries and, sometimes, post-traumatic stress disorder. Thanks very much to those of you who have helped me to help them. Any small amount makes a difference and for every £400 I received in donations, I gave £100 of my own, up to £3000, to help meet your generosity.

I also turned 50 on the ride, so it was a milestone. Here’s some photos (lycra is a great leveller!). https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B05G0ehgLJZ4cd

Seriously, it was very moving, with teams of wounded from the USA, Canada, France and Australia, as well as the UK joining us for the ride. I will never moan about a hill again, after riding up some hills with paraplegics and amputees. Not all grim or sombre. It was also a great deal of fun with excellent camaraderie … and we were in the Sun at the end, which is the closest I’ll ever be to being a Page 3 girl. It was an amazing way to spend a “mid-life crisis” birthday.

thanks again

Paula