Later this month, I'm cycling from London to Amsterdam to raise money for Médecins Sans Frontières. MSF sends extraordinary people — doctors, nurses, logisticians — into some of the hardest places on earth to care for those caught up in war, disaster and crises they did nothing to cause. They show up when almost no one else will, and they do it with skill, courage and zero fuss. That's exactly the kind of effort I want to throw my legs behind.

My target is £1,000, and every pound goes straight to MSF's work on the ground.

The training has been brutal and overseen by my coach and daughter. She still rides with training wheels but possesses the competitive ambition of a Tour de France mountain-stage winner. Her core coaching philosophy of “Hurry up, Daddy” has encouraged more than my cycling prep. Any podium finishes are hers; any saddle-related complaints are entirely my own.

A huge thanks to my sponsors, VIP Apps Consulting and Mesa Solutions, for backing the ride.

So if you've ever wanted to fund a genuinely brilliant cause and watch someone voluntarily cycle 500-ish km on Sophie's orders, now's your moment. Anything you can give means a great deal — to me, and far more to the people MSF helps.

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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.