“Independence is the most important thing to succeed in life”

About Me - 

My name is Lerona-Jayne Goldberg and when I was 5 years old, I was involved in a car accident. This left me with life-changing, permanent spinal cord injuries. After spending a year in recovery, I finally went back to school. 

At 18 I took a gap year, followed by university, and then worked in the charity sector for over 10 years. I have always stayed positive, and have never let my spinal cord injury stop me doing anything. Now aged 39, (I will be turning 40, two weeks after the challenge!) I am married and am proud to have 2 daughters, Indiana and Rayelle.

More recently I have decided to seriously challenge myself, completing a half marathon with my husband Nick in 2013 and a 10k ‘run’ in 2019. Now I am ready to take my challenges to the next level, to inspire others, proving that when you set your mind to it, anything is achievable.  

For my next, and biggest challenge, on 23rd and 24th September 2022, I will be hand-cycling for 2 days straight, from London to Amsterdam (137 miles). I feel it is a time in my life where I have another opportunity for a challenge, and this one is the biggest one yet. Together with you, my friends, family and supporters, I want to dominate this 137 mile distance and raise at least £40,000 for the charity Aspire in the process. 

I am asking you for one of 2 things to help me achieve these goals:

1. Join us! You will need to raise £550 to cover entry and then anything above and beyond this figure goes to our charity.

2. Donate generously! This can be a personal donation or a company sponsorship - we can have your name or logo on our website and on our branded cycling gear

Aspire – Raising Money and Awareness

For me, the Aspire Fitness Centre has provided the specialist equipment needed for a real workout, for everybody, no matter your ability. It is the best and only place I am free to independently strengthen my body, helping with mobility and recovery. I have been a member since I can remember. For my personal needs, no other gym or fitness centre compares. 

For anyone suffering with an injury, Aspire was the first fully accessible fitness centre in Europe to open, back in 1983. It is now proud to say that over 32% of its members are disabled, compared to other gyms, where only 2-3% of disabled people feel there is a space for them to exercise. 

To make this challenge possible, I will need to use a hand-cycle, called a Tribike. This incredible machine will attach to my wheelchair, effectively converting my chair into a bike. Using my shoulders and upper body strength, I aim to then cycle 137 miles, all the way to Amsterdam! The cost of this equipment to make the challenge possible is £5,000 which has been factored into our target total of £40,000.

All money raised, in excess of the cost of equipment, will go directly to Aspire. I am raising £40,000 to go towards their housing programme. The housing programme provides essential equipment to maintain independence, for those living with spinal cord injuries. The money raised will also go to much needed assisted technology, enabling disabled people to get back their independence and get back to work. 

The Challenge - London to Amsterdam 

I want to show my children and everyone else, that I can do this challenge. Please join me if you can, to help raise much needed funds for Aspire. You can come along for the actual ride, meet us in Amsterdam at the finish line to celebrate, or simply donate from your couch! All support is hugely appreciated! 

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.