Im Scott, a 34 year old from Buckinghamshire. I've decided to mark my 10 year anniversary from when I was released from prison, by attempting to do a cycle ride that's the full length of the UK starting on the 1st October 2024. Some know it as JOGLE (John O'Groats to Lands End) others just know its as Scotland to Cornwall.

I was sent to prison at the age of 24 for 9 months for my involvement in petty crimes. I took a stumble in life after I lost my Mum to cancer whilst I was at the age of 19 and soon after my Dad was then diagnosed with severe mental health bipolar disorder which had already caused him issues throughout my life. Struggling to face what was going on, I turned to a party lifestyle of using drugs and alcohol on a daily basis which I even tried to fight against by attempting suicide. Eventually my addicted lifestyle caught up with me and I was sent to prison which turned out to be the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I took the time I had in prison to finally understand and accept the person who I was, accept that I lost my Mum and become the person I was brought up and truly meant to be.

So, I knew I had to do better and knew that it was a long road ahead in order to prove myself. With that in mind I left prison with my own self determination and motivation and haven't looked back since. I tell my story and will continue to do so in the hope it may help others to turn a new leaf and to also prove that people can actually change. Since my release I've become a Dad to now three beautiful little girls and having made quite the success of my life and my career I have never taken my eye off of doing what I can for others and for charity. My first big charity event was cycling from London to Paris 2 years after my release and not too long after I had hip surgery due to an injury I sustained some years beforehand. I did this bike ride on my own and raised just over £2500 for an organisation that helps prisoners upon release to pave a new life instead of reoffending.

In the years since I have done other bike rides, an abseil, walks, charity fundraising events and in 2019 I was awarded personally by our local town mayor for the work I had done in the local community throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Quite recently I did the 3 peaks 24 hour challenge with a group of lads which we did a second year in a row, completing it on the second attempt in a time of 23 hours and 37 minutes.

When first doing the 3 peaks challenge I officially met who is now one of my best friends Adam, who is now doing JOGLE with me. I told him what I was planning to do with regards to the bike ride and he later said "well let's do it together!" So this idea just went from an idea, to something we are now actually doing. I have to admit after starting our training just after the start of 2023 and losing a lot of weight between us Adam has taken what was a discussion to do the ride and has completely smashed his training week in, week out, ever since. I'm coming from a cycling background, where as Adam isn't, but he has already shown incredible commitment and enthusiasm and I'm actually the one playing catch up on the all important leg training. I've made it my mission that due to the sheer hard work and determination that Adam has put in, that I will do what I can to support him every step of the way.

My reason for supporting the FoodBank Aid right now and with the current times we are faced with, I feel its quite an obvious one. Due to the cost of living crisis more and more people in the UK are turning to food banks just in order to be able to eat. The FoodBank Aid is more than just a food bank. It supplies 31 food banks in and around London with regular stock and plays a key role for all of the other food banks to be able to provide what people are in need of. So you aren't just helping one food bank, you're helping many food banks and many, many children, men & women who are in need of them. Whatever you can spare to this great cause will help towards essentials we need every single day.

Find out more of what the FoodBank Aid does and what the incredible people who work within it do: https://foodbankaid.org.uk/

Feel free to keep upto date with our ongoing progress, training and updates from our chosen charities on our events Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094685168518&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Any companies/corperations willing to support our trip for a donation from £50 will get their logo printed onto our cycling jerseys

Thanks for reading and thanks for the support