From the 5th to the 7th of June, I will be setting off with colleagues from BP from Ullapool to cycle approximately 240 miles back to Aberdeen as part of Coast to Coast 17 (C2C17).

This year, the ride is raising funds for four amazing charities, and I am proud to be riding for The Archie Foundation—an incredible children’s charity based in Aberdeen.

While only for a couple of minor operations, I had my fair share of trips to the hospital as a young child. My core memories are of my mother sleeping on the floor beside my hospital bed and the extraordinary lengths some of the hospital staff went to in order to support us. While I’ve been lucky enough to have only ever spent a few nights in hospital, for many families it almost becomes a second home. The work that The Archie Foundation does is vital and makes a real difference to sick children and families going through traumatic life events.

The Archie Foundation was formed in 2000, the same year I was born, to support the build of the new Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital. That means they’ve been supporting sick children and their families for my whole life! The charity has now expanded, and Archie has helped over one million children by funding vital “extras” that complement the excellent care provided by NHS Grampian, Tayside, and Highlands.

Below, I’ve included some examples of what a donation can mean in real terms:

• £3.50 could fund a meal voucher to help nourish and support an anxious parent who can’t and won’t leave their sick child’s bedside.

• £10 could pay for a specialist book to help a bereaved child find the words to grieve.

• £15 could fund wheelchair hire for a week for a child who is severely weakened by illness or recovering from a broken a limb.

• £20 could fund travel to and from hospital, helping ensure a child in poverty can access the healthcare they need.

• £25 could pay for a family to stay overnight in the Archie Family Centre at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, helping keep families together during a crisis.

• £50 could pay for a neonatal outreach coffee morning, where parents can access specialist advice and meet other families facing similar experiences and challenges.

• £125 could fund an Archie Toy Box of resources to help nursing staff and Play Teams reassure and reward young patients facing scary hospital appointments or procedures.

• £150 could pay for an activity day to help establish friendships between bereaved children, dramatically reducing feelings of isolation and supporting a positive grief journey.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.