I am aiming to raise some money for Shelter, the national charity for the homeless.  In order to help this cause, I've taken on the challenge of cycling 300km. coast to coast from Scalby on the East coast, across the Pennines and through the Lake District to Eskdale on the West Coast. This journey is planned over three days from Monday 20th -Wed 22nd July.

During the housing boom of the last decade or so ...and the credit crunch that has followed ... it has been all too easy to share a general ignorance of the growth in homelessness in this country.

As soon as property is used as a commodity, in economic terms ... there is a downward pressure on its availability. There is also a significant housing shortage in the both the public and private sector in the UK ... and this creates further downward pressure, making provision of accommodation difficult at all levels.

Support for people who are homeless, either statutorily or voluntarily, is part of an essential tool kit that demonstrates that we exist in a culture that is caring and humane ... and  have shared values.

Without taking too much of a risk, I am making the assumption that pretty well everybody who reads this note, including me, has never experienced the plight of being homeless. I would ask you all to pause for a moment ... and think of the implications of that status...

All donations, no matter what, will be gratefully received. 

Michael Pritty