Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I received an email from Macmillan Cancer Support ....  it said " We hike, we run, we cycle,  we swim .... we make a difference"   ....  and for about two weeks I did some serious thinking  about whether I could or even would want to undertake the physical and mental challenge of training for and cycling to Paris and I guess deep down, whether I could  "do it"   ....   the more I thought about it, the more I realised its not about me ....

its about making a difference.

I am so pleased that I have been given this opportunity to  make a difference. I hope you will be able to support me in my fund raising and cycling challenge.

The work that Team Macmillan do in supporting people and families affected by cancer is fantastic Sadly there are around 300,000 new cancer diagnoses in the UK every year. Fund raising is key  as 97% of their services are funded through the generosity of supporters.

The truth is, we can all make a difference .....  AND ....

UPDATED on 10 JULY 2012

I am pleased to say ... I did it, and it was a fantastic experience!!
 
I had a lot of nervous energy to burn by the time we started the ride at Blackheath at 7am last Wednesday morning ...  but expended most of it negotiating the traffic as we left London and headed into Kent!!
 
The journey to Dover  was quite eventful, not least because I had a mechanical failure on the bike but a couple of people stopped and helped me fix it and I made it in time to catch the ferry .....  which was delayed!!
 
We got to our hotel at 11pm ( ok ... French time!!) and  had to be ready to ride again by 8am the next morning ...  another 80 mile ride to Arras and on Day 3 we cycled 80 miles to Compiegne.  On Day 3 we cycled through the Somme and visited the Thiepval memorial to (some of) the soldiers of the First World War who have no known grave. Once again it put a lot of things into perspective and my minor aches were not of much significance....
 
So, to Day 4 and the 60 mile journey into Paris where we swapped the quite roads of rural France for a hair raising cycle by 100 people around the Arc de Triomphe, along the Champs-Elysees and to what should have been a glorious finish at the Eiffel Tower ... but the weather hadn't read the script!!  We finished in one of the heaviest downpours I have ever been in!!   .... but it didn't dampen our spirits and there were hugs and tears and I was quite emotional .....  and am welling up just thinking about it again!!
 
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported and encouraged me in all kinds of ways over  the past 3 months. It really has meant a lot to me. I know it also means a lot to Macmillan in terms of the funds that have been raised by the cycling group that allows them to support people affected by cancer.
 
As ever, if you would like to help me raise funds for Macmillan by making a donation please click on the link below and once again I would also really appreciate it if you would forward my justgiving details to friends and colleagues who might want to support such a good cause. The hope is that the efforts of the cycling group will raise £250,000.
 
http://www.justgiving.com/mikebarrettbigmac
 
If you want to see some pictures of the event please look at the website http://www.facebook.com/macmillanbikingevents   .... I am towards the far right of the main picture!!

Once again, many thanks for your support.
 
Kind regards and best wishes

 
Mike   

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