Friends, family and other beloveds, on 4th September 2021 I’m supporting the Advanta Foundation by putting myself through 9 days of pain. It will involve balancing my skinny buttocks on a handful of synthetic padding for hours on end, climbing 1.8 times the height of Everest, travelling 1,000 miles without using an engine and – here’s the worst bit – camping!

I’ll be cycling over 110 miles a day for 9 days from Land’s End to John O’Groats in aid of The Advanta Foundation. The Foundation supports smaller charities for disadvantaged children which struggle to get the attention and funding they need. So far, the Foundation has: paid for Lucia to go to school in Tanzania for the past decade; helped provide healthy meals for UK kids throughout the pandemic; supported children in understanding their mental wellbeing and enabled kids who are normally restricted in what they can do and where they can go due to severe medical or other issues simply enjoy being kids with a visit from Father Christmas and his helpers.

Half of the Foundation’s proceeds go towards supporting children in the UK and half to children around the rest of the world. The Advanta Group, where I work, pays for 100% of the costs so every single penny you donate goes directly to those who need it most.

Many people reading this, myself included, have never had to struggle with the disadvantages that these children do. If you could simply give that £5 you would otherwise spend on your next takeaway coffee or pint of beer to the charities that support, teach, comfort and nurture these children, I know it will make such a difference.

I will be donating a further 20% of the total raised up to my £3,000 target. With Gift Aid, the government will add 25% to your donation – and on mine too – which means that for every £1 you donate an extra 50p will be added! Giving to a great cause never got so easy!

My training so far has been gruelling. I’ve had four crashes to date and spilt plenty of blood and sweat, but I’ll save my tears for the finish line. So please, take a few minutes out of your day to donate, like, share and get the word out there as much as possible – you really can make a difference! Love to you all and thanks in advance!! X

#DoingItForTheKids #TheAdvantaFoundation