Tomorrow sees the start of our epic Simon On The Street’s adventure “Ride 25” from Leeds to Paris. For me, it’s exciting if a little frustrating.
Last year I made a commitment that wherever possible, someone from our little charity would support our fundraisers on their adventures by joining in and getting on board with their events. Whilst I have a moderate level of “gym” fitness, I’m certainly in no shape to start cycling half way across the continent in 5 days! However, I’m delighted to be the white van driver/first aider/support crew/Mrs Motivator that the team need, and will be very proud to do my bit. And who knows what I’ll do next year with a bit of training time….
Most of all I’m excited to be able to spend 5 days with the most amazing group of people who are about to put themselves through 5 days of pain by riding 430 miles from Leeds to Paris on a bike. A BIKE?!!!! (I’m not that excited about dealing with saddle sores….) all for charity.
Today is a day when I feel really humbled. It’s not a word I particularly like to be truthful, but it’s the only one I can find to really describe how I feel today. Here’s why.
Only 4 months ago I met a team of staff from Salesforce at a conference who took me and Simon On The Streets under their wing and by the end of 2 days together, pledged to do anything they could to support the charity that I’m so passionate about. They left Leeds to return to Ireland telling me that they had plans to ride from Leeds to Paris in September and would not only be raising funds for us, but that their company would match any amount they raised through sponsorship, and donate it to us. I was so excited and prayed hard that this would actually happen.
4 months on, and we’re staring the challenge full in the face and it’s amazing! Not only are my fab Irish posse still on board having spent a summer training hard, but other people have joined the challenge to the point that we are about to see 20 plus people set off with us in the morning from Park Square. John Readman who runs Ride 25 and has organised this event has driven and promoted this relentlessly, and has encouraged people to fundraise and donate for Simon On The Streets from our very first meeting about the event. We have a team now, and they don’t just feel like supporters, they feel like friends.
People all over are pulling out the stops…we’ve done radio interviews, press interviews, been promoted through twitter and people’s websites and networks, had money raised for us, kit donated and there’s this really great buzz around our organisation today.
So yes, humbled is the word of the day for me. From that one conversation 4 months ago, all of this is happening, thanks to some dedicated, passionate and probably slightly crazy people who are very close to my heart and to that of our team at Simon On The Streets.
Keep your eyes peeled over the next week. I intend to try to blog every day and keep you updated on the trials and tribulations of the trip, keeping the graphic details of saddle sores to a minimum, but showing you just how amazing these people really are. The money they raise will help us to continue our unconditional support of vulnerable rough sleepers and those disengaged from support and society across Yorkshire and without people like this, we wouldn’t be able to carry on. The thank you goes deeper than I can say.
Go Team Simon, it’s going to be epic!!!!