2010 DoIt For Charity Bike Ride, 20th June 2010

Thank you so much for visiting my fundraising page and for sponsoring me in the 2010 DoItFor Charity Cycle Ride held on 20th June 2010.  I completed this event with 5 other colleagues, also raising funds for AbilityNet. We completed the course even though it was 54 miles in length, instead of the advertised 50!  We had many adventures on the way including Nigel not being able to start due to injury, Anne Stafford's front tyre exploding only minutes before the start and an unscheduled pit stop near Windsor where a famous family invited us into their garden for tea and biscuits. 

Up until the half way mark the route was fairly flat but the last half seemed to take us over all the hills of Surrey. Just as the end was in sight we had to complete a stretch in Richmond Park before finally finishing in Richmond Deer Park.  That really was a very mean trick!

If you are wondering whether to sponsor me or not (it is never too late) just visit the AbilityNet web site (www.abilitynet.co.uk) and see how this charity makes such a positive difference to the lives of so many people. We are a charity that remains committed to helping the 9.8 million people across the UK who need our help.

My target is to raise £6,000 for AbilityNet so that they are able to buy another set of 'try before you buy' adaptive technology.  AbilityNet will then loan this equipment to people so they can experience how IT can transform their lives.  Unfortunately we cannot do this without your support, no matter how large or small.  Please do contribute or even start fund raising yourself by joining us in this ride.

2009 Brighton 100/50 Bike Ride, 26th September 2009.

Yes we did it!  You will see from the completion certificate that we completed the course, and what a brilliant exhilarating day it was.

The day started for me at 04:45 loading the car. After picking up James, it was 06:00 as we headed down the M25 to Brighton. We managed to park my car on the outskirts of town and then 'warmed up' as we rode to the registration tent and the start of the ride.

At precisely 08:02 five AbilityNet riders set off on the 2009 Brighton Bike Ride. After a gruelling stretch of 7 miles cycling endless Ups and Downs (we had missed the point that The South Downs go Up as well as Down!) we settled into a natural rythm. A painful grind of pain barrier after pain barrier.

We finally crossed the Finish line at 12:58 with an average speed in the saddle of 12.5 MPH. Our time riding was 4 hours 8 mins with 48 mins of this time spent on compulsory red light stops, fixing my chain at Saltdean (my gears were then stuck in high for the rest of the ride), searching for the missing refreshments at Southover Lewes, talking to locals and the very welcome break at the Half Moon at Plumpton where we gorged on Mars Bars

I would be misleading you if I did not admit to spending some considerable time enjoying the views from the hills leading up to The Devils Dyke. Now what sort of sadist puts a challenge like Devils Dyke at the end of an already tough ride?

It was exhilarating to see Laurie and the AbilityNet support team waiting to welcome us back with refreshments and applause. Unfortunately our own family support teams missed our historic finish by about 10 minutes due to the traffic chaos in Brighton. However I have now obtained photos from other photographers and these are now on this web site. We all waited until Dennis and Rory had finished on the tandem and then went off in search of some traditional fish and chips at Harry Ramsden's.  We then had a paddle, walked along the pier and came home tired, yet exhilarated.  It was hard to believe that we had done it and were still in good shape.

It was possibly one of the most physically challenging yet enjoyable days I have spent.  All the ingredients were there - sun, physical exercise, magnificent scenery, great team spirit and most importantly an opportunity to raise funds for people less fortunate than ourselves.

The money raised will help children, young people, adults, the elderly and injured use computers for things we all take for granted:

remote working;

e-mailing friends;

browsing the internet;

on-line shopping or simply keeping in touch. 

Using computers can give people back a key part of the life they once knew. Since AbilityNet started in 1989 it has helped over a million people. So please, if you have not sponsored me already please do so now. Together with AbilityNet we can reach out and help even more people.

So where will your donation go?

£10 enables a disabled person to access help on-line;

£100 provides expert, remote IT assistance, allowing them to adapt their PC themselves;

£750 funds a one-to-one assessment of IT needs, installs equipment and provides training and support;

£3,500 provides free assessment, loan equipment, training and support;

£6,000 provides loan equipment so a person in need can 'try before they buy'.

I am aiming to raise £6,000 for AbilityNet - every pound raised brings that target closer.  So why not collect all the change you can find and donate it to this worthwhile cause? Right now all that odd change must be really annoying you - cluttering up your bedroom and wearing holes in your pockets!

Donating through Justgiving is simple, fast and totally secure.  Your details are safe with Just Giving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted e-mails.  Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to AbilityNet and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every single donation by a UK taxpayer. This means that Abilitynet gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

If you would like to sponsor me off line please contact me directly.

Time has now passed and we have forgotten the pain of the South Downs and are up for the 2010 DoItForCharity ride.  So please, if you possibly can, make a difference and sponsor me now!

Thank you so much

Michael