On 29/30 September I'll be attempting to ride the full length of The South Downs Way, a 100-mile off-road route which starts in Winchester and runs across to Eastbourne. With 14,000 ft. of ascent, mostly concentrated on the second day of cycling, it's a tough challenge.

I've not done a huge amount of training, but did manage a 35 mile training ride the weekend before I set off which has left me very sore and significantly worried about what effect 100 miles will have on me! Fingers-crossed, by raising a little bit of money for a very worthy cause will give me a strong motivation not to stop!

Why The Playhouse Foundation?

Autism has had a direct affect on my family, so I know the life-changing benefits that can come from the very earliest possible involvement of autism specialists. I would like to raise money for The Playhouse Foundation as I feel this innovative charity can make an amazing difference to the life opportunities of very young children diagnosed with autism. The huge cost of early intervention is simply beyond the reach of most families, and funding is generally not available from the state until a much later age. This means that many autistic children miss out on getting the right care and support in the critical years of brain development and are also far less likely to join mainstream schooling.  The Playhouse Foundation provide funding (by means testing) to the families most in need of help, getting autism specialists working with children aged 2.5 to 3.5 - probably the most important age at which help is needed in developing the communication and social skills typically lacking in children with autism.

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