Five members of COO have decided to ride from London to Paris over the course of a day and a half in June, a total journey of around 185 miles (or, for our European colleagues, 297,728.64 meters).  We are leaving the office around lunchtime on 10th June, cycling to Newhaven where we will take the overnight ferry to Dieppe and then, from around 4am, cycle across northern France to a triumphant arrival at the Arc de Triomphe sometime on Saturday afternoon (or late evening!)  In all this we will be ably supported by a support vehicle which will carry spare socks and a healthy collection of sugar-based snack foods to help keep the wheels turning.

 

You are probably wondering why we are doing this.  Clearly, missing an afternoon of work is not a good enough incentive for 18+ hours of physical torture so we have decided to make the trip to raise funds for Reachout Now (helping vulnerable children improve their lives) the website is below and more details are at the bottom.

 

http://www.reachoutnow.org/

 

Please support us in our efforts to raise as much money as possible for this great cause.  Pictorial evidence will be provided for those who may doubt that such diversely aged / shaped / motivated people could attempt this and survive.  The full roll call of hardy souls who are doing this is:

 

Alistair Conner, James Gomes, John Averill, Mike Jeffers, Reto Broenimann

 

Thanks in advance for your support!

 

What is Reachout Now?

Reachout Now is a UK registered charity that works with local communities on projects to improve education, health and quality of life, with a particular focus on children's welfare. It was started in 2002 and projects have been successfully run in countries around the world including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Togo, Tanzania and most recently, Guatemala. Typical projects include the building of orphanages, schools and medical units for those most vulnerable – children in developing countries.

 

What makes Reachout Now different?

The average large charitable organisation spends approximately 70% of donation proceeds on administration costs i.e. only 30% end up going to those who really need help. Reachout Now differentiates itself by ensuring that 100% of donations are directly used to fund projects in some of the poorest developing countries across the world. All administration costs are borne by the trustees, so you can directly and tangibly see the impact that YOUR donations have on people's lives.

 

How are projects selected by Reachout Now?

Projects undergo stringent selection criteria to ensure that the best usage of donations is made, to help those who need it most. A coordinated and rigorous review process is conducted by the trustees of Reachout Now, involving on-site visits to the prospective beneficiary location. Reachout Now has also formed partnerships with a number of local Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), who assist with providing local support and knowledge to projects.