Last year I was spotted in random and remote locations across the UK struggling up hills and desperately seeking coffee breaks and snacks as I trained for my first major long distance bike ride: London to Paris. Having sucessfully conquered the roads to Paris in 2018, a year later I am back to do it all again....And here's why... 

Can you remember the last time you were ill or in need of health related services? Were you frustrated at having to wait several days or weeks for an appointment with a medical professional? How did you feel when you finally had access to the right people and the right intervention?

Now, imagine you lived in a place where there was no access to medical support. Where there were no doctors or nurses to visit. Where there were no hospitals or surgeries. Not for days or weeks, but forever.... And compounding your plight, there was no running water or electricty and food supplies were limited....

It's difficult to accept that we still live in a world where this is the tragic reality for many people in many places. The West Bank in Palestine is one of these places, where there is not a single permanent health care facility for over 300,000 people.

To support the local poplation, the UK based charity, MAP (www.map.org.uk) have established mobile health clinics in the West Bank. The mobile clinics aim to serve over 4,500 people across 40 loalities with no breaks in service over time. Each clinic requires £150k per annum to cover operational costs. I am cycling from London to Paris and asking for your kind donations to help MAP cover these costs.

The funds raised here will provide essential resources for one of the clinics:  medicines, medical equipment and personnel including a qualified GP, an experienced community nurse and several health workers. Services are tailored to the medical needs of the community and can range from nutritonal health and the growth monitoring of children to the provision of services around reproductive health. Every community is visited on a two weekly cycle to ensure they benefit from continuous support and development. The healthcare professionals also provide broader and holistic medical awareness for the community to raise the overall standard of primary care. The programme is overseen by qualified doctors and medical specialists from the UK and local area, and is designed to compliment MAP's broader healther service cluster in the region.

Last year, with your generous donations I raised over £18k and I wanted to reach out and ask you to help support the cause again this year. Time has moved on but the need for medical relief in the West Bank is greater than ever. With your help, the mobile health clinics can make a lasting change. No donations are too small (or, too large!).

Huge thanks for your help and support :)

Imran