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PLEASE DONATE TO THIS PAGE INSTEAD:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/valeriostuartmap
UPDATE (18/6/2026)
Why we are now supporting MAP
Doctors Without Borders (MSF), faces mounting difficulties operating in Gaza under Israel’s revised registration rules for international humanitarian organisations. The requirements include providing personal information about Palestinian employees, which MSF argues could endanger staff and conflict with humanitarian independence and data-protection obligations. After its registration expired, Israeli authorities blocked MSF supplies and international personnel from entering Gaza from 1 January 2026, while its remaining international staff subsequently had to leave. MSF and 18 other organisations have challenged the restrictions in Israel’s High Court, warning that shortages of medicines, equipment and experienced personnel could make existing medical programmes increasingly difficult to sustain. Israel says the rules are necessary to prevent humanitarian organisations from being infiltrated or exploited by armed groups, but MSF maintains that they obstruct essential healthcare and place aid organisations in an impossible position.
For the reason above, as Ultracyclists for Palestine, we have decided to start supporting Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) who is still working on the ground.
MAP continues to work through its local teams and Palestinian partner organisations to provide emergency healthcare and humanitarian support across Gaza. During the first three months of 2026, MAP reported delivering more than 540,000 healthcare and humanitarian services, despite severe shortages of medicines, antibiotics, anaesthetics, diagnostic equipment and other basic supplies. Its current work includes supporting hospitals and health workers, treating injuries and routine medical conditions, and responding to the wider effects of displacement, malnutrition and the collapse of Gaza’s health infrastructure. MAP is also campaigning for unrestricted humanitarian access, the entry of fuel and medical supplies, safe passage and evacuation for patients, and international action to protect healthcare workers and rebuild Gaza’s medical system.
My 2026 challenges
I'm aiming to support MAP by taking on 2 more challenges this year.
1) District16: 600km 16000m+ self-supported challenge taking on all the lakes in the Lake District (July)
2) Taurus Mountain Race 1500km 36000m+ self-supported ultra challenge on the Taurus Mountains in Turkey (October)
Please consider donating, no donation is too small!
UPDATE (6/10/2025)
A massive thank you to everyone who supported my Ultracyclists for Palestine fundraiser — we’ve raised over £1,500, which is incredible. 🙏
Sadly, I didn’t make it to the finish line of the BearBones300. With Storm Amy thrashing Wales all weekend, it turned into a slow-motion survival ride — flooded trails, fallen trees, 80mph winds and, at one point, a flying pine cone to the head (thankfully the helmet held up!).
After 9 hours and about 100km of battling the elements, I made the tough call to pull out. There were only two finishers in the end — both looking properly traumatised — which was some small consolation!
The good news: other riders from our Ultracyclists for Palestine group smashed their challenges, flying the flag and keeping the fundraising momentum going.
Thanks again for all the encouragement and kind words — I’ll be back for another go when the weather’s slightly less biblical!
Edit (26/09/2025):
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated already!!! We are not far off from the goal which is amazing.
Due to life and other commitments I have managed very little training in the last few weeks. It doesn't matter and it's no excuse to pull out for such a good cause.
Thanks to Follow My Challenge, you can now follow along (and check if I'm still moving) during the challenge, using this link:
Follow My Challenge - Bear Bones
Clean Water for Gaza
We are raising funds for clean water provision in Gaza where over 80% of infrastructure—including desalination plants, wells, piped systems—has been destroyed or heavily damaged since October 2023 (UNICEF). Today there is only one desalination plant left working and there has been a 150% rise in preventable diseases and skin infections due to insufficient clean water.
As ultracyclists we often take access to water for granted, filling our bidons with ease to stay hydrated and continue our long efforts. We want to take the opportunity to raise funds during our next ultracycling races to support the vital work that Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are doing in Gaza to provide water and aid to the population.
- It costs approximately £21.00 GBP/24.30 Euro to deliver 1,000 L of trucked water in Gaza.
It is expensive and dangerous to deliver water by truck and we have so much respect for the humanitarian organisations that risk their lives everyday to support the suffering Palestinian population.
Our Ultracycling Challenges
- Marcus has ridden the Sneak Peaks adventure around the Dolomites starting on 5th September 2025. The route is 500km long and has around 16000m of climbing, and he finished in first place!!!
- Valerio is riding the Bear Bones 300km bikepacking race in North Wales over the weekend of the 4th October 2025.
- Kerry, a Scottish lassie fae the Outer Hebrides, takes water for granted (apparently Scottish water is the best tasting in the whole world 👀) so this feels especially important to her. She rode the North Wales 400 and finished 1st female and 4th overall!
While these will be hard efforts we will both have access to clean water sources throughout the ride, a privilege that the population of Gaza do not have. I will be sharing frequents updates during the event on this page and via the social media channel: https://www.instagram.com/vale.stuart/
Please see the following link for more information on the ongoing water crisis in Gaza and consider contributing to our campaign!
https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/water-being-used-weapon-war-gaza