RIDE UPDATE - posted Friday August 17th from John O'Groats

We've done it!! After 10 long days in the saddle and with very sore legs we've reached John O'Groats on a beautiful day in northern Scotland. It's been an epic trip and we'd like to thank everyone who has supported us in the build up and along the way. For those of you who were waiting until we'd finished to sponsor us, now is your chance!!

From 8^th to 17^th August Ed Gdula and Jonathan James will attempt to ride fromLand’s End to John O’Groats in order to raise money for two charities that Hockerill Anglo-European College is proud to support - Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the Hockerill Rwandan Appeal.  

Not being ones to take on an easy challenge, we have set ourselves a target of 100 miles a day and an overall time limit of 10 days for the 1000 mile trip. Our fundraising target is similarly ambitious, and with the generous support of parents, students and friends of the College, we hope to raise £10,000 which will be split 50/50 between the two causes.

The first of these causes needs little introduction. Breakthrough is the UK's leading charity committed to fighting breast cancer through research, campaigning and education. Even in 2007, however, the chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman's life is about 1 in 8 (13% of women), and so it is evident that much work (and funding for this work) is still needed. It is highly likely that we all know someone first hand who has been affected by breast cancer – please help us to make a valuable contribution to great work done by Breakthrough.

The second cause is one that Hockerill College has chosen to support since last year’s visit to Rwanda by two of our teachers. As many of you will be aware, we have now forged strong links with Le Collège Gisenyi, which like Hockerill is a coeducational day and boarding school. Our aim for the second half of the money we raise through our ride will be to fund improvements to the living and working conditions of students at Gisenyi, which no British parent would currently find acceptable. The difference £5000 will make to these children is almost beyond any of our imaginations.