The plan

In early 2021 my wife (Jo) and I plan to leave our jobs at Harrow International School Bangkok to start a cycle ride back to the UK.

This is fundamentally a selfish exercise: we like cycling and we fancy a bit of adventure. We’re aware of our privilege in being able to do this, not least because:

• we have no particular commitments back home

• we're both in good health

• we have enough money

• we’ve built up the professional capital which means we can be reasonably confident that we’ll find work again at the end of it all

The charities

So, to salve our consciences a bit - and because it's a nice thing to be able to do - we're going to be using this trip to raise some money for two charities: Rainbow House and Mobile Education Partnerships (MEP). Both charities do work in Thailand, the country which has been our home for the last three years or so. We'll split whatever's raised 50:50.

Rainbow House already has cycling-related links to Harrow International School Bangkok. Added to which who could fail to be moved by the jaw-dropping selflessness displayed by Lydia Nash. Anyone who sets that kind of personal example strikes me as someone with a cause worth supporting.

MEP is another charity that the school has links with. They do fantastic work for those trapped in limbo in the various refugee camps in the region. Its educational focus fits well with our own professional expertise. Also, Rob Gordon who’s driven the school’s links with MEP, is a good bloke. As with Lydia, I admire his willingness to sacrifice a bit of personal comfort and security for the disadvantaged. There have been multipe setbacks on MEP's projects stretching back to well before COVID. But like a dog with a bone, the organisation has kept going. So MEP also deserve some help.

We're delighted that Rob plans to join us for the Myanmar leg of the trip - one of the countries where MEP do a lot of their work.