This year I will ride in an event I have organised to cycle all the way to St Emilion in Southern France, to raise money for Hop, Skip and Jump. In Cheltenham they provide flexible and immediate respite care for children and young adults seven days a week, by providing a variety of indoor and outdoor activities to engage and inspire children with disabilities and special educational needs.

Our bike ride covers 600km in just 4 days; last year was tough as we rode 400km in the same time and in fact the first day is almost exactly the same distance as this year's Tour de France first day so it really will be a challenge.

The training has been wet over the winter and spring, with the first few dry rides only coming in late March. I will have completed over 100 hours in the saddle before we leave for France across nearly 1,500 miles so although the event is only 4 days long, it has been 4 months in the making!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thank you,