I think it is fair to say that Graeme, Gavin, Kirsty, Neil and Sean are not necessarily known for their sporting prowess. Which means that cycling a minimum of 500 miles over a week wouldn’t naturally be something that we would put our hand up for. But in a moment of madness clarity we felt that Smart Works was a charity we should go the extra mile for. You can tell by our team name ‘Miserable as Spin’ that this is not something that we are looking forward to or indeed are likely to enjoy!

As a team we are raising funds to support Smart Works in Scotland, helping over 300 women a year get back into work after periods of unemployment. The reasons for unemployment can range from having family, ill health, to caring for a relative and many others but all want to put themselves in the best position to be employed and 70% of the women who come through the Smart Works service go on to get the job.

The service rebuilds confidence in women and provides them with practical interview skills and coaching – supporting them to be the best that they can be when they walk into their job interview.

So with clear guidance on the use of lycra in public, padding for saddles and some emergency anti chaffing gel, the 5 of us are looking to raise as much as we can to support this fabulous charity.