Thank you to everyone who has donated so generously to the Aylsham Community Shed.

In addition to the many individuals listed here, Aylsham and District Round Table have added an amazing £500, giving a grand total of £1160 (to 26th July).

THANK YOU!

I completed my ride, finishing the Etape completely exhausted, and hot, but thrilled with the achievement. The knowledge that you are all supporting the Shed really helped with my motivation to keep going in temperatures over 40 degrees! I was very tired on the return journey, and took a few days to recover once I'd returned to Norfolk.

STORY:

This year I have been involved in setting up the Aylsham Community Shed, part of the UK Men’s Shed Association. It is run by volunteers and needs to raise funds for running costs, tools and materials. I’d like to help by asking for sponsorship for an epic bike challenge I am undertaking.

On Sunday 9th July I will be cycling one of the stages of the Tour de France. The Étape du Tour is open to amateurs, using exactly the same route as the professional cyclists. It is 94 miles long with 4,100 metres of climbing in one day, starting near Geneva and ending in Morzine in the Alps.

This is a tough ride on its own, but I have chosen to avoid driving or flying to reach the event, instead I am cycling from the Netherlands, through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France and Switzerland to arrive in the Alps on the bicycle that I will use on the Étape – which without luggage weighs almost twice as much as many of the bikes being ridden in the event. I am carrying all my luggage on the journey, cycling 900 miles with more than 10,000 metres of climbing.

I have done a lot of cycling, but I have never tried to prepare for an event in this way which makes me a bit nervous - but it is for a good cause. The Shed is not registered as a charity (but may be in the future) so there will be no gift aid, but the donations go direct to the Aylsham Community Shed bank account.

Aylsham Community Shed is part of the Men’s Shed movement, although we also welcome women. Men’s Sheds (or Sheds) are similar to garden sheds – a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practise skills and enjoy making and mending. The difference is that garden sheds and their activities are often solitary in nature while Men’s Sheds are the opposite. They’re about social connections and friendship-building, sharing skills and knowledge, and of course some laughter.

Many Sheds get involved in community projects – restoring village features, helping maintain parks and green spaces, and building things for schools, libraries and individuals in need.

Activities in Sheds vary greatly, but you can usually find woodworking, metalworking, repairing and restoring, electronics, or model building in action. Whatever the activity, the essence of a Shed is not a physical building, but the connections and relationships it builds amongst its members. 

If you can help, please sponsor me to raise funds for Aylsham Community Shed. Thank you, Paul.