It feels kind of odd to be telling the story of this, this week in particular, but that's what the schedule says, and that's what I've been asked to do, so here it is.
This is the story of something to come, something potentially amazing, something potentially life-defining, something potentially unforgettable.
This is a story about something that you could be involved in, to share memories with me and my friend as we go somewhere else, to gain extraordinary experiences and remarkable memories while trying to provide a little bit of help for people who have a little bit less.
And so in February next year, some 10 months after my new knee is installed as it was this week, I plan to ride around the outside of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, ending at Ngorongoro Crater Gate in Tanzania.
Not only do I intend to ride 230 kilometres over dusty tracks and roads over a 5-day period, but I plan to do it with my mentor and inspiring business coach and friend, Chris Barrow.
You have the opportunity to be there with us, the opportunity to share in this adventure, the opportunity to help raise money for Bridge2Aid, of which Chris and I have been massive long-term supporters (Chris introduced me to Bridge2Aid all those years ago).
We intend to do this to try to raise as much money as we humanly can, to train therapists in Tanzania to help people who have no access to therapy or dentistry, who could really do with it.
Over the years, Chris Barrow has raised extraordinary sums of money and extraordinary amounts of attention for Bridge2Aid, and we have tried to hang on to his coattails to do the same. It was calculated at one point that we were looking after 250,000 people in East Africa through the work that we have done in the Unity Partnership programmes, and this plan is to take that a step further.
Think about what's at stake here, though; you have the opportunity to get on a bike and to ride 50 to 90 kilometres a day for 5 days (Honestly, that's not that much) through extraordinary scenery, with extraordinary people (Chris and I aside) to do a brilliant thing.
I can guarantee that if you got on board for this, you would never forget it as long as you lived; you would never forget the week you spent in February 2026 cycling from Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.
There is a cost to this of course, you need to be able to ride the bike, but pretty much anyone can get that bike fit in that time and that is a gift.
The second is you have to pay your way, flights and accommodation and the third is you have to commit to raise £2000. There is no point in coming on a charity bike ride if you will not commit to raise £2000.
We want at least 15 people to join us, and therefore, we're well into £30,000. Our initial target is 50,000 pounds (I really want us to raise more than that if we can). If we do, we'll provide an extraordinary difference to a huge number of people, and we'll make lasting friendships and memories that we'll never forget.
Are you in?
Think about it.
Blog Post Number - 4159