Thanks for taking the time to visit my Camino JustGiving page.

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Here is a short background to my fundraising event, please spread the word, post a link on your facebook profile and tell me if I’m insane! Oh and dig deep! I’m doing this for two charities; the links to my separate JustGiving pages are below. I’m thinking of starting a training blog and a facebook page so check back for links, I’ll add them here. Thank you.

El Camino de Santiago Frances (The way of St James, The road from France.) is a religious, cultural and spiritual pilgrimage from the French town of St Jean Pied de Port at the base of the Pyrenees right across northern Spain to the City of Santiago de Compostela and the Cathederal that contains the remains of St James, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. The distance of 800km is covered every year in full or in part by many thousands of pilgrims, all participating in a journey that has endured for twelve centuries.

El Camino has been walked by emperors like Charlemagne, popes like Calixtus II, kings like Alfonso II, brave knights like the Spanish “El Cid” or the Knights Templar, noblemen, thousands of priests, farmers, beggars, travellers, the healthy, the sick, the blind, the lame, the rich and the homeless. The journey takes about 35 days on foot. To cycle it takes about two weeks. I propose to cycle this route in 6 days. For more information on the Camino see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James

I was first introduced to the Camino by a friend 4 years ago. We cycled on the Camino Primitivo and Camino Del Norte (mountainous and coastal routes) and covered 500km. My son was only 1 year old at the time and I missed him terribly, I’d never been away from him for any length of time and its times like that you realise how important your family is, also how lucky I was. I now have a son and daughter and (as my Nan used to say) I count my blessings every day. Others aren’t quite so lucky. So this time I’d like to do something for the children for whom life is one constant battle, and the parents who didn’t get the chances I have had to just be a parent. I’d like to raise a little money as I go. Will you contribute a little? My charities are; SANDS – Stillbirth and neonatal death charity, website: http://www.uk-sands.org/About-Sands.html and; CLIC sargent - for children with cancer, website: http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/Aboutus

This is not an organised tour and I will be funding my own journey. If I raise more than it costs to complete this ride then I will consider this a success; but with equipment like a cold cot for neonatal deaths costing in the region of £2,600 I’d like to make a dent, so please give as much as you are able. My just giving sites are:

http://www.justgiving.com/Camino-for-CLIC-Sargent

http://www.justgiving.com/Camino-for-sands