London to Brighton

18th June 2023

I retired in 2013 having spent the final twenty four years of my teaching career at a brilliant school in Dereham. I was fortunate to be part of a fantastic staff team and the young people were great to work with.

I believe it is important we assist young people develop their cycling skills. Such skills will enable them to make future choices about how they use their leisure time, maintain a healthy lifestyle and travel sustainably.

In 2011, I required a liver transplant as an autoimmune condition had damaged my liver.  Cycling played a key role in my recovery, again in 2020 when I required a biliary reconstruction and also after suffering a fractured hip in 2016.

My first rides after the transplant operation were quite short; even the slightest incline was a challenge and muscle fatigue an issue. Since then I have progressed considerably. I remain a leisure cyclist and ride to help maintain a healthy lifesytle. There is no intention of attempting to match younger / competitive cyclists who speed past. Most days my wife, Lorna, and I aim to cycle before breakfast enjoying the fresh air and the natural world we observe around the Norfolk countryside.

Most of our rides tend to last between 60 and 90 minutes depending on conditions and the time of year. (We carry on through the winter months). However, having signed up for the British Heart Foundation London to Brighton Ride I had to change focus to train specifically to meet the challenge facing me on 18th June.

A challenge it will certainly be! If I complete the 54 mile route it will be my longest ever ride. Making the task more difficult is the fact that I face climbs which are much more severe than those found around Mid-Norfolk; namely Ditchling Beacon:- 

• Distance: 0.9 miles / 1.45 km
• Height gain: 143m
• Average gradient: 9%
• Max gradient: 16%

Norfolk is not completely flat and we have tackled gradients of over 10% on some short rises but nothing compare to the length of some of the climbs en-route.

Why would I undertake this challenge?

As a Bikeability Trustee since 2019 I am raising money for our Innovation Fund which helps provide opportunities for youngsters such as Sabrin. 

Sabrin’s story

She was very quick to gain good gliding skills on the balance bike and was soon able to ride the two-wheel bike. The instructors were very encouraging and using humour and accessible language helped Sabrin attain her Level 1 and Level 2 Bikeability.