Thank you for visiting my "London 2 Barcelona for the Joe Noakes Trust" page.

Many of you know me as the idiot who walked around the Norfolk and Suffolk coast for 200 miles in 2013.

Some of you may even have been roped in to funding a kindergarten in Nepal in 2004.

Now I'm at it again, badgering you for your hard earned cash as I defy gravity, longevity and lethargy to somehow transport myself from London to Barcelona on a bike.. I know. What the hell am I thinking???

Well, I need to raise some money so we can help young autistic children reach their full potential. I'm doing this in memory of my son Joe Noakes who sadly left us when he was just four.

Joe was severely autistic with a poor prognosis for future development. My wife Nina and I researched interventions for Joe and settled on a "ABA" programme to help him reach his full potential. The transformation in Joe was magical and dramatic.  From being told he would never walk or talk we uncovered a mischievous, and determined little man who did both those things and so much more. 

The trouble is that the programme can only be accessed privately which means it is inaccessible to many families who simply cannot afford it. I cannot imagine the frustration of knowing there is something tangible and evidenced that will help significantly help your child but you cannot use it because of cost.

So, I've set myself the challenge of cycling 1500km's across the whole of France and into Catalonia over 10 days to raise enough money to help fund an ABA programme for 2 kids for 2 years.

That includes seven rather steep river valleys, something rather ominously called "The Black Mountain" and of course the "rolling" Pyrenees.

Your support and donations would be very much appreciated and would go towards a fantastic cause in memory of my awesome little boy.

Further information on the charity and ABA can be found at www.thejoenoakestrust.org