Hello - on Saturday 18th June (the longest day) I'm going to be attempting to ride my bike from the east coast of England to the west coast in one day. It's 205 miles, with 10,000 feet of climbing. I set off from the beach on the Isle of Sheppey at sunrise (04:41), with the ambition of riding across the country to reach the beach at Burnham-on-Sea on the west coast before disqualification at sunset (21:33), hence Chasing the Sun.

I'm hoping to raise money for two charities - the DEC Ukraine fund, and the Give a Duck Foundation. My intention would be to raise funds equally for the two charities, but if you prefer to choose otherwise you can do so. You'll see two fundraising pages below both in my name - one for each charity.

I'm sure the DEC needs no explanation, but just in case, it's a group of charities providing urgent, emergency aid to people suffering unimaginable pain and loss in Ukraine at the hands of Russia's war crimes.

The Give a Duck Foundation is a much smaller operation but no less important. They're a children’s cancer charity, supporting children who've been diagnosed with cancer throughout the UK. On diagnosis children are given their own Chemo Duck to comfort and support them throughout their journey. Each child's Chemo Duck experiences the same treatment the children will go through. Their ducks are fitted with medical lines and ports to mirror those of the children, and the charity's Play Leaders use the child's Chemo Duck to prepare children for their own treatment. Things are a bit less scary for the children when they see their Chemo Duck experiencing the same treatment, and it helps children to feel they have some small element of control and understanding at a time when they otherwise have very little.

Times are hard and finances are pinched, so any donation you can spare - however small - will make a real difference to these families and children suffering in awful circumstances.

Thank you x