Like everyone else, my plans for 2020, have been changed due the Covid 19 Pandemic. I had several Cycling challenges planned, some were just personal challenges, but some were to support several charities. With many events now cancelled, these charities have had their income greatly reduced, which in turn will have an impact on the lives of the people they support.

One of the challenges I had signed up for was a Coast to Coast Challenge from Skegness to Liverpool in a day. A distance of approximately 170 miles. Due to the restrictions, the event has unfortunately been cancelled and put back to next year, as to keep within the Govt guidelines would have been be extremely difficult.

It is fair to say I was extremely disappointed at this, so I have decided to do the coast to coast challenge on a smaller scale. Due to logistics it will be in reverse, so from Liverpool to Skegness in a day. I’m calling it C2C43

Hopefully, I can do my part in supporting charities during this difficult time and raise some money to help them continue their great work.

I have set up a crowdfunding page t for the 3 charities I want to support. Any money raised will be split evenly between them.

The three charities are as follows:

The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust or CAFT - The Trust provides a variety of free programmes for terminally ill, disabled and disadvantaged children from all over the North West. CAFT was the original inspiration for the Coast to Coast challenge. You can see more of what they do by following this link. Childrens Adventure Farm Trust

The Katherine Allport Foundation – I am sure like me you, know of someone who has had or is battling Cancer. The Foundation provides free Chemotherapy care hampers to those starting their Cancer Journey. The hampers contain useful items such as moisturisers, hand sanitisers, blankets, neck pillows and other useful products to make things a little easier. You can see more of what they do by following this link. TheKatherineAllportFoundation

Changing Faces – Changing Faces is the UK’s leading charity for everyone with a scar, mark or condition on their face or body that makes them look different. They provide advice, support and psychosocial services to children, young people, and adults. As some of you may know my eldest daughter Ella was born with a visible difference and is now a campaigner for the charity. She will be providing me with support on the challenge by driving the safety car throughout the challenge. You can see more of what they do by following this link.

Changing faces

The Challenge itself will take place on Friday 24th July 2020, starting at Sunrise from Albert Dock in Liverpool and finish hopefully before Sunset at the Clock tower in Skegness.The route will be an easterly direction covering a distance of 177 miles. We will be avoiding major roads as best we can, sticking to B roads and official cycle paths.(hopefully we won’t get lost)

Due to the change of route the support vehicle will not be able to directly follow, so to support me I have recruited the help of my friends Brian Edmonds and Mark Blackshaw, who will travel up to the start and return from Skegness in a separate vehicles. We will ride together to give mutual support.

News recently suggests that 1 in 10 charities in the UK risk closure so I would be very grateful if you could support my challenge by donating to the page. I do appreciate that in these difficult times money is tight, so any donation big or small will be gratefully received. With your generosity we can help support these worthy charities to continue to do their work. Thank you.

Children Adventure Farm Trust

The Katherine Allport Foundation

Changing Faces