Long Way Down supports Riders for Health and UNICEF

In my own small way I am seeking to emulate the epic ride of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman in Long Way Down. They like me are raising funds for Riders for Health and UNICEF and if you have been watching their Sunday night documetary you will have seen their visits to the Riders for Health programme in Kenya and the UNICEF programme rehabilitating child soldiers. For a short video clip on their work for these charities go to: -

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/times_appeal/article2924976.ece

Dont' drink too much red wine!

Drinking red wine is bad for you. It's official. I know this because having drunk one or two glasses too many I volunteered to run the London Marathon in April 2008. Anyway, it will help me get fit for the Ride for Life. I needed to lose a few pounds.

Recycle your old bike kit!

Riders for Health - one of the charities I am helping to raise funds for by taking part in the Ride for Life in 2008 has launched a new appeal called 'Riders Recycle'.

The scheme has been set up so that motorcyclists can donate good used biking kit (apart from helmets for obvious safety reasons) so that it can be auctioned to raised money for health workers in Africa.

For more information go to the Riders website at www.riders.org

You might also be interested to know that Riders for Health has been named as one of the Christmas appeals in The Times.

Yahoo Group for 2008 Enduro Africa Riders

If anyone who is reading this blog has also signed up for the 2008 Ride for Life there is a YahooGroup Forum available where you can swap information about your preparations and fundraising etc. Feel free to join up - the more the merrier! Link is as follows: -

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/enduroafrica2008/

Supporters Update

The following is the current list of supporters who have made donations or pledged support: -

Shipping Companies

Anglo-Eastern (IOM)
Delta Marine
Logbridge Ltd
Lauritzen Fleet Mananagement
Norbulk Shipping
OSM
The staff of the Chamber of Shipping
V-Ships Monaco

Unions

Nautilus UK
The members and guest attending the Nautilus UK 150th Anniversary Dinner
D1-MEBA
AIMPE
MUA
Philippines Seafarers Union

Individuals

Robert Woods
Edmund Brookes
Carl Husain
Pat Duncan
Pete Duncan
John McCurdy
Russ Garbutt
Chris Rogers
Su Flynn
Nick Luff
Noel Cooke
John Cooke
The Dickinson Family
Dennis McIntyre
Bob Doyle
Gordon Thompson
John Cameron
Noriko Tomita
Andy MacFarlane
Mark Dickinson

Grand total so far £7722 with some pledgers still to reveal their generosity!

New Charities to Benefit from the Ride for LIfe 2008

EnduroAfrica, the organisers of the Ride for Life have announced new partnerships for the 2008 event (the one I will take part in). EnduroAfrica made the announcement because it wished to assist charities working in the region where the event takes place rather than focus only on Zimbabwe where Riders for Health is currently focused.

The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, Sentebele - the Princes Fund for Lesotho and UNICEF will now receive support from EnduroAfrica. The aim of the event in 2008 is to raise £300,000 for these amazing causes.

My pledge, to raise £20,000 to be shered between NUMAST Welfare Funds, EnduroAfrica and Riders for Health remains unaffected by this announcement.

Getting my eye in!

Pictured is my new pride and joy (a Yamaha XT660R) purchased (I hasten to add) on the "never never" and with the aim of getting some offroad practice in ahead of 2008!