JOIN NOW! – BELGIUM BY BIKE
Thursday 26th June to Monday 30th June 2008
220 miles in 3 ½ days
The 2008 Biking for Children in Care ride will be a pedalling tour of Belgium. This year, the money raised by those involved will be used to conduct a project aimed at improving educational outcomes for young people in foster care and to develop educational materials and programmes for children and their foster carers.
The plan is to go by Eurostar from St Pancras, London, on Thursday 26th June, meeting at about 9.00 am, arriving in Lille, Belgium, at lunchtime. The bikes will be taken by lorry to Lille. That same day, the bike riders will start pedalling towards their first stop. Conditions allowing, you’ll be cycling to Bruges on Friday, to Gent on Saturday and to Brussels on Sunday. That means 30 or so miles on Thursday and about 60 miles on the other days.
Once in Brussels, a well-deserved celebratory meal will take place on Sunday evening. The return journey by Eurostar from Brussels will take place on Monday afternoon, at about 5pm, allowing you a day to relax and see the sights. The train should be back in St Pancras at around 7pm on Monday 30th June.
There are only 50 biking places and many people have shown interest. If you wish to take part on this adventure, do return the application form promptly. Accommodation and Eurostar places will be reserved very soon. Your initial deposit is £90 (payable to Biking for Children in Care), and it secures your place in the bike ride. The total cost of travel and accommodation will be about £220 and there may be additional costs for 4 evening meals.
The first 50 people to send in forms and deposits (£90 per person) will secure a place on the ride.
For applications arriving afterwards, a waiting list will be created in case anyone drops out. On receipt of your application form and deposit, you will receive:
- More information about the Who Cares? Trust
- A fundraising pack
- Details of the ride
- Dates for optional training rides
You will be expected to collect sponsorship for the ride to raise funds for The Who Cares? Trust. The target for each rider is £600. If your employer operates a matched fund raising scheme, the Who Cares? Trust will provide any necessary paper work.
Last year, Biking for Children in Care raised over £40,000, co-sponsoring the Believe in Me Awards and other Who Cares? Trust projects (click here for more information on the 2007 event). In 2005, the money raised went towards publication of health and drugs information booklets, while in 2006 it supported the Going Home project.
Many people have participated in Biking for Children in Care, but it is an amateur organisation, and those involved donate their time and effort to making it all happen. The superb support team make the whole trip considerably more comfortable for the cyclists than it would be without them. Check out their website for pictures from last year.
Personal Safety and Insurance
You will be responsible for yourself and your bike so you will need insurance. We strongly recommend you wear a helmet.
Probable Route
Thursday 26th June 2008: Travel by Eurostar from St Pancras to Lille. Unload bikes and bike to Kortrijk
Friday 27th June: Kortrijk to Bruges
Saturday 28th June: Bruges to Gent
Sunday 29th June: Gent to Brussels
Monday 30th June: Day off in Brussels, return on Eurostar late afternoon.
The bikes will be transported to Belgium and back to the UK by lorry.
Accommodation
Still to be confirmed, but the accommodation will be mainly twin-bedded rooms in economic but comfortable hotels.
Food
Breakfast and lunch (en route) will be provided. The venues and means of payment for evening meals are to be arranged.
Luggage
We will have a truck to take the bikes to Lille and back from Brussels, and to carry luggage during the ride. We will have a support vehicle in case of difficulties. Please keep luggage to a minimum; one small soft bag should be sufficient.
Registration and Sponsorship
Send your completed application form, along with a cheque for £90 payable to ‘Biking for Children in Care’ to:
Biking for Children in Care
C/o Susie Hall
The Who Cares? Trust
5th Floor, Kemp House
152-160 City Road
London EC1V 2NP
This deposit is non-refundable, unless there is no place available or the event is cancelled. You will be asked for a further £130 in a few months time, and you will also be asked to pay for your evening meals. Your fundraising target is £600.
Thanks for your interest and we look forward to biking with you!
If you have any queries, please contact Gill Timmis on 0208 891 3451 or gill_timmis@talk21.com
Note: The planning group is John Griffiths, Aileen Hampson, Bob Hampson, Chris Diamond, John Tindale, John I’Anson, Andy Lynn and Gill Timmis.
The WHO CARES? Trust is a Registered Charity (No. 1010518).
A Company limited by guarantee. Registered in London (No. 2700693).
VAT Reg. No. 577 8530 91