On 23-25 September 2022 I will be cycling 280km from London to Paris, to raise money for International Justice Mission (IJM).  And I will be doing it wearing a 10kg weighted jacket!

As the world's largest anti-slavery organisation, IJM partners with local authorities in 14 countries to combat various forms of exploitation and violence against vulnerable people, including particularly:

• Sexual violence against women and children
• Abuse of police power
• Forced/Bonded labour
• Trafficking of Ukrainian refugees at the Ukrainian/Romanian border

For more information on the ways they go about this, please do check out their website (or come and have a chat with me!):    https://www.ijm.org/our-work

Some of you will already know that in 2018 I spent several months as a Legal Fellow at IJM's Manila office working on cases involving online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC), so this is a cause close to my heart.  Having seen how IJM work I can honestly say they are an organisation that really does what they say on the tin.

To physically acknowledge in a small way the fact that so many people are not yet free from slavery and exploitation, I have chosen to do this ride wearing a 10kg weighted jacket.  

Plus, I know that when someone does a sponsored event, you want to know that they’re not just going for a jolly and it’ll really challenge them (ie: it needs to hurt a bit).  The weighted jacket will increase my body weight by nearly one fifth, so rest assured it’ll make me puff harder, the legs burn more and the chafing sharper!  

I know too that there are lots of fundraisers around and with the cost of living increasing, it’s not always easy to donate.  So, I would love it if you would consider donating £10; that's £1 per extra kilo! If 100 people do this, I'll reach my target of £1,000.

If you would consider being one of the 100, I would be thrilled! Alternatively, any amount would be very gratefully received.  

Thank you in advance :)