On 5th July 2012 I am taking part in a charity horse race at Newbury, a proper race round the proper race course, kind of like the Derby but without TV coverage.

There will be 12 of us, all amateurs, riding professional horses (poor things) and we will be racing over 1mile 5furlongs (not sure yet how long one is) which apparently is quite a good distance for a race. I've been training since October, every Friday and some Saturdays, out on the gallops at Epsom Downs with the professionals, hanging on for dear life.

Why? My aspiration (it’s a bucket list thing) was to ride in a flat race.  The aim of the charity I am doing it for is to give young kids, from the Witley Estate in Reading, aspiration for their lives.  On this estate, 38% live on the poverty line and there is a 20% teenage pregnancy rate, so many don't see that life offers them much. Ufton Adventure is challenging this view - working with Reading University, they have set up an outward bound centre where the kids can go to develop in ways that give them a different perspective. We are aiming to raise enough money to build seven huts and fund the teaching.  The centre will become self-funding once the capital costs are covered, in other words, it is a charitable project that will not need constant topping up.

Please do give as much as you think you can - all the money will go directly to the fund to help build the centre. Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. 

 

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So please dig deep and donate now.