Fundraising (if you only read one blog post....)

So, this really is the one post that everyone should read (and in reality the reason behind all the others).....

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, both recently and way back in 2009, the Tour de Force is a charity event created by and for the William Wates Memorial Trust whose mission is to help the most disadvantaged young people keep away from a life of crime and violence and fulfil their potential. This is achieved by giving grants to charities that engage young people through the mediums of sport, arts and education.

We will all of course be raising as much money as possible for the William Wates Memorial Trust. In addition to this the Tour de Force team have been exceptionally kind and accommodating in letting a large number of riders riding in memory of Dan join up with their event and raise money independently for the Daniel Bagshaw Memorial Trust in addition to the William Wates Memorial Trust.

The Daniel Bagshaw Memorial Trust, amongst other things, will focus on raising money (1) for charities which raise awareness amongst the general public of cardiac risk in the young, and fund research into early diagnosis, and (2) to provide financial assistance/bursaries to talented school pupils in the Lancashire region where Dan grew up to help them to fulfil their potential.

Doing something in Dan’s memory is deeply personal to many of us and we all really hope that we can raise as much as possible to help a charity that is in its infancy and which promises to do fabulous things.

I now have a donations page up and running, which can be found here, for anyone that wishes to donate to this worthy cause. A portion of all money raised will, of course, also be going to the William Wates Memorial Trust.

Should you need any encouragement to sponsor me, bear the following in mind:

• I will be completing 7 full stages of the Tour de France in 7 days (that's every kilometre and every mountain pass)
• I will be riding over 1,000km across France
• I will spending the majority of that time cycling through the mountains in the Alps
• I will be doing the longest stage of the Tour de France (clocking in at 242km and ending at the summit of one of the most iconic and feared climbs in the Tours history)
• I have given up alcohol (this is not true, although those that have seen me get p*ssed on two pints will confirm I have at least cut back)
• I have been getting up at 5.30am most days of the week to train for 1-2 hours before work
• I will have spent, adding up all the hours, over 3 whole days on my turbo trainer (in just a rather fetching set of (almost see through) bib shorts, heart rate monitor and a full set of 80's sweatbands - Vicky loves this)
• I will be taking unpaid leave to do two intensive training camps in the Dolomites and the Ardennes (these are training camps, not holidays. Training camps.)
• I have been training in all weather in Hong Kong, sometimes even when the temperature has been below 10 Celsius
• I am covering the cost of the trip entirely myself (I even had to buy a very expensive new bike for the trip, in fact a lot of new kit has been 'necessary') and every penny raised will go directly to DMBT (and WWMT)
• Should I reach my target amount I will (most probably) shave my legs (those of you that have seen how hairy my legs are will appreciate that professional help will be required...)

Dig deep!