***BBC Essex***

Did you catch our two Ambassadors on BBC Essex? If you would like to support them their fundraising pages are here:

Martyn

Barry

Children’s mental health charity, Kids Inspire is preparing for an epic 140-mile cycle fundraiser from Essex to Amsterdam.    

On Friday 21 June, day one of two! 30 cyclists will be greeted with breakfast, courtesy of the Rapid Relief team, at Kids Inspire’s headquarters (Great Baddow Chelmsford) before departing and cycling 75 miles to Harwich.  

Their route will take them via Essex villages; Finchingfield, Nayland and Ramsay before the cyclists join the ferry for an overnight crossing to the Hook of Holland. 

Cycling at their own pace, on day two the group will press on towards the Dutch capital using the flat cycle paths of Holland, hugging the coast and passing beaches and coves at Scheveningen and Noordwijk-Bennen along the way. The 65-mile journey will take them through the Hague and some traditional Dutch towns before reaching their finishing point at Rijksmuseum. 

Cyclists are made up of supporters from local and national businesses and committed individual supporters.  

Jon McFarlane, Managing Director at Laser Electrical, commented: “We believe in giving back to our local community and supporting causes that make a meaningful difference. Kids Inspire is a cause close to many of the team’s hearts and we’re delighted to once again to support this local charity”. 

Stuart Belbin went on to tell us why he and ‘Team Ascend’ are taking part: “It's about giving kids the tools they need to face life's challenges head-on. Every mile we cover and every pound donated will directly contribute to changing lives for the better.” 

Supporters, Barry Milchem and George McCarthy from Ecliptic will be live-streaming their ride and it can be watched online here.   

A few years ago, Sue Bell OBE, Kids Inspire’s CEO, cycled the same route, and her ‘why to take on the challenge’ was clear: “I listen daily to the tragic stories of children and young people who have had their childhood stolen because of abuse, neglect, or trauma. The needs of these children are often complex and require a specialist team approach to make a difference, giving the child hope that their life can be different and better. They deserve to feel happy.” 

The combined total of funds raised will support Kids Inspire to continue delivering its multi-generational family approach for every child and young person that the charity works with. Through proactive listening and therapeutic practice, Kids Inspire promotes self-resilience, greater self-awareness, and relationship building to empower more positive life choices.  

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Read a blog post from one of our cyclists, Martyn, who took part in the cycle ride in 2019. Or find out further information back on our event page.