Johnny Stobart
Humberston Cycles Riding Tower to Tower for North East Lincolnshire Mind
Fundraising for Hull & East Yorkshire Mind
Story
Our next Cycling Challenge is finally here - following on from our epic ride to London last month, tomorrow we will be riding from Grimsby to Blackpool following a 153 mile route which will take us across the Pennines and through 3 of the North of England’s most dramatic and stunningly scenic counties, with almost 6000ft of climbing to do along the way… which is about the same as Mount Kilimanjaro!!
I know there are lots of cyclists who ride much further distances than this and don’t necessarily shout about it, but to me it’s not really about the ride as such - but more the reason behind why I’m doing it.
Many of us go through all kinds of emotional challenges throughout our lives - some would say it’s just life and take it in their stride but to others, the effect of these life events can be quite traumatic and devastating to our mental health.
Understanding how one single event can affect different people in so many different ways is hard, but if you’re the person struggling to understand why you feel the way you do, that can be even harder still, and when multiple issues begin to cloud the picture even further, sometimes those most affected simply no longer cope.
You may know people struggling or may have struggled yourself. You may not know what the problem is, you may need help or you may want to help but don’t know where to start, but knowing there is something you can do, or somewhere you can go and someone who will listen is a step in the right direction.
So these rides are more about representation than they are personal endeavours. Yes they are personal challenges and the kind of thing people wish they had the time to do, but they are about more than that. I decided to start writing a blog:
- which details more of my own journey and what this venture of mine is all about and why I’ve decided to go this way on my journey - take a look, don’t get me wrong, it’s hardly a professional blog or got lots of fancy formatting or anything, but if you’ve got 10 mins spare, Grab a coffee and have a read - these challenges and rides we are doing are for #mentalhealthawareness and #mentalhealthmatters. They are to represent the journey of each and every one of us. Some parts hard, some parts not so. The uphill struggles and the effortless downhills that feel so rewarding and liberating following the struggle. The length of the journey is also representative of the journey each of us is on - to some it’s a long road, to some, it’s a relatively short event. To some it’s a challenge, and to others it’s comparatively easy, but the relevance is - each of our own journeys is different to someone heading in the same direction. We may be following the same path, but the challenge is always different, to each and every person. Those riding who may find certain parts easy, are there to support and encourage others who may not find the same section quite so simple. We are stronger, more capable, together, and can achieve more with the help of others.
I hadn’t chosen to make this a fundraiser as I don’t like to always ask for money - sometimes simply raising awareness is more productive than raising money, but the first ride we did back in May to York and back helped raise money for The Bearded Fishermen Suicide Prevention group who help patrol the Humber Bridge, this time I’m going to start a fundraiser, albeit a little late, for North East Lincolnshire Mind. A local, North East Lincolnshire Mental Health Charity based in Grimsby providing safe space for anyone going through personal crisis. I’m not asking for £1000’s but even the cost of a cup of tea can make a difference.
Keep watching for tomorrow’s posts on our Facebook page (Humberston Cycles - Bike Repairs & Srevicing) as we plan to set off at 5am from Grimsby (the plan is to leave from the Dock Tower if we get permission) and arrive in Blackpool before sunset.
Wish us luck, and help us to help others to raise #mentalhealthawareness by sharing this post and showing your support on our journey tomorrow.
