Billie Jean Sedgwick
Billie's Ride of Hope 2011
Fundraising for Cancer Research UK
Story
THANK YOU!
25th October 2011
We are just about to close the fund raising page for this year and I am pleased to say we have raised £4886.76 which is fantastic! That means since 2009 we have raised £21803.76 every penny raised is for Cancer Research UK and I know every penny is spent on research to find a cure for cancer. I could not have done this without all of your generosity and support. What started as a crusade against cancer in 2009 with a target to raise £1000 by cycling coast to coast has just got better and better. I am more determined to keep this going and help beat cancer once and for all.
I would like to thank so many people who have helped me this year and my heart and love goes out to you all.
The date is set for the 2012 Ride of Hope - Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 July 2011
Over 40 riders rode into Annan this year lets see how many we get this year!
One thing I have learnt about Cancer is it doesn’t matter who you are or how much money you have it does not discriminate! It was a very sad day in Saudi Arabia as it was the funeral of the Kings brother Prince Sultan who died from Cancer of the Colon and a boy at my School has also lost his fight against bone cancer which has strengthened my desire to keep going and carry on raising funds for Cancer Research UK.
Hope will ride again and again......join the fight!
20th July 2011
Well only 3 days to go
Plans are as follows;
DAY 1 Saturday 23rd July 57 Miles
Arrive at Tynemouth Priory 08.30 and get ready to start at 09.00
11 Miles Rest stop at Newcastle Quayside (Total 11 Miles)
10 Miles Rest stop at Wylam (Total 21 Miles) (The Fox and Hounds will be hosting a rest stop for us all) WC
14 Miles Rest stop at Hexham (Total 35 Miles) WC
14 Miles Rest stop Vindolanda (Total 49 Miles) WC
8 Miles Finish at Haltwhistle (Total 57 Miles) WC
DAY 2 Sunday 24th July Miles
Arrive at Haltwhistle and get ready to 08.30 and get ready to start at 09.00 WC
7 Miles Rest stop at Birdoswald 7 Miles (Total 64 Miles)
7 Miles Rest stop at Brampton 14 Miles (Total 71 Miles) WC
15 Miles Rest stop at Carlisle Sands Centre 29 Miles (Total 86 Miles) WC
8 Miles Rest stop at Gretna Garden House Hotel 37 Miles (Total 94 Miles) WC
8 Miles Finish at Annan Tesco 45 Miles (Total 102 Miles) WC
18th July 2011
Well only 5 days to go....
I am happy to say I will be joined on the ride of hope by family and friends who are also using this justgiving page as their fundraising exercise. Each rider will be given a number so we can identify everyone safely at the check points.
15th June 2011
Hi Everyone
Well its year three in my Crusade against Cancer! What started as a dream for me to raise £1000 for Cancer Research UK to raise vital money so they can keep researching for a cure for Cancer! I am pleased to say we have raised £16917 in two years for Cancer Research UK. I started the fundraising when my Grandma was diagnosed with Terminal Cancer, my world was broken. Rather than just sit there I thought I would help raise money for Cancer Research UK. One thing I have learnt over the last three years is Cancer affects everyone all over the world; I have met lots of people who have been affected by Cancer due to surviving, fighting or have lost a loved one to this disease. When I tell them about my exploits and my desire to keep raising money to find a cure, people want to join the fight, if only people in Government would support this cause! In July not only will I be riding for 28 Million people around the world who are fighting Cancer I will also be riding for an Angel! On the 14 August 2010 my beautiful Auntie Kath lost her fight against Cancer, this was the day I rode into Annan on my Lands End to John O’Groats 946 mile Challenge. I remember it was a lovely day as friends joined me on route on the trip to Annan and there was a piper with hundreds of people to welcome me into Annan. The day ended in hurt however I needed to continue as this is what she would have wanted. All I can do is hope we find a cure and as I have been saying ‘Hope rides again’. Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research. Their groundbreaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has saved millions of lives. Survival rates have doubled in the last thirty years and they have been at the heart of that progress. But one in three of us will still get cancer at some point and their vital work, funded entirely by the public, will help ensure that millions more people will survive. I have been lucky enough to see the work that the people at the Beatson Institute in Glasgow have done to find cures for Cancer!
In 2009 I decided to ride the 174 miles Hadrian’s Cycleway from Ravensglass to Tynemouth Priory, I managed to complete this in two days and raised a staggering £3645 for my effort. As I cycled into the finish at Tynemouth Priory my Grandma was there to meet me, money can’t buy moments like that!
Following the success of the bike ride the team at Cancer Research UK made me feel very special and I vowed to help them by doing something every year to raise money! They are the real heros working hard to find a cure! Whilst at the Beatson and while I was being interviewed I decided that in 2010 I would ride the same route again but would go there and back so I would potentially complete 348 Miles on the challenge however during the interview I changed my mind and said I would do the same route but instead of turning round I would just do one way! Then I dropped the bombshell I would do that route (174 Miles in two days) as a training ride as in August I would try the 946 Miles from Lands End to John O’Groats. I still smile and laugh at the picture of my Mum and Dads faces! Mum says she was only laughing as Dad would have to do it with me!!! I managed to complete both rides, so by the end of 2010 I had ridden 1120 miles and we had raised £13272 for Cancer Research UK. 2010 was hard as I had lost a very special person in my life but I was more determined to keep raising money for Cancer Research UK. From Day 1 since I started the Crusade I have been privileged and humble to meet some special people who have supported without question my dream of helping find a cure for Cancer.
There are too many people to mention but I will always be indebted to you all for your love and support.
The Ride of Hope will be a yearly event and from year 1 when my Dad and me completed the 174 miles in two days to the next year where I was supported on the ride by Scott, Lynda and Alan who also supported me on key stages on the Land End - John O’Groats. Pat Jardine is my heroine as she is a true crusader and is able to walk the talk! Apart from my Dad she completed the most stages on LeJog last year! She definitely is someone who I Love and Respect! Xx
OK back to this years event we will start at Tynemouth Priory at 8.30 on Saturday 23 July 2011 heading into Newcastle Quayside and follow the Tyne Valley to Wylam, Hexham with the aim to reach Haltwhistle at the end of day one. Day two will take us further along the Roman Wall to Greenhead, Brampton then into Carlisle and will head to Gretna and finish at Tesco’s in Annan. I enjoyed the ride into Annan as we were joined along the way from Carlisle by other children that’s when I said to my Dad we should make it a fun ride where family and friends could join us and also raise money for Cancer Research UK.
‘Billie’s Ride of Hope 2011’ will start at Tynemouth Priory on the 23 and will finish at Tesco’s Annan on the 24 July 2011. This year I will be joined on the ride by family, friends who want to join the fight against Cancer. I will ride for 28 Million people around the world who are fighting Cancer. I hope like me last year everyone who rides will ride each day for someone who has sadly lost their fight against Cancer or someone who has survived the fight against Cancer or for someone who is fighting Cancer. Please join the fight! All I can do is hope we find a cure and as I have been saying ‘Hope rides again’. Hope you will join me on the ride as there will be some very special guests joining me this year. If you want to ride with us please contact my Dad edward.sedgwick@almarai.com there will be support vehicles and riders keeping us safe but you will need transport to the start and end points. Please come and show your support on route and if you can give a donation to the justgiving page or to the support team along the route. www.justgiving.com/rideofhope2011
23 July 2011 Day 1 Tynemouth Priory – Haltwhistle
24 July 2011 Day 2 Haltwhistle – Annan Tesco Store
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
Love Billie xx
Thanks for taking the time to visit my 2011 JustGiving page and continuing to support my Crusade Against Cancer!