In January 2012 Bruno Mycielski was born and died, the son of my friend Jozef and his wife Vivian.  They decided that Bruno's short life should be meaningful, and therefore they set about creating the Bruno Bursary; an endowment fund that will send one child each year to Ampleforth College, where Joe is both Director of Development and an old boy..

Ampleforth is an incredible school, and provides a fabulous education. What a marvellous thing to do, and what a great gift to give in memory of Bruno!

Joe and Vivian need to raise at least £600,000 to create an endowment fund.  So far, they've raised over £430,000.  At the end of May, I will join a group of 200 cyclists.  Across two days we'll cycle from Chatsworth to Ampleforth Abbey in North Yorkshire.

For those of you who don't know, I might observe that the route is, well, rather uphill.  This isn't going to be easy!

Therefore, I am asking you to sponsor me.  I'd love if my friends and associates could help me raise £1,000.  If all 200 cyclists did that, we'd be past the winning post, every single one of us.

Please sponsor me as generously as you can.  When the cycle gets tough, and it will, three things will keep me going.  Firstly, the great dignity and generosity in the midst of loss shown by Jozef and Vivian.  Secondly, the thought of what an Ampleforth education could  mean to those who will win a Bruno Bursary.  Thirdly, knowing that I owe it to you to climb every hill.

Thank you in anticipation of your generosity.