Age Concern Bristol is able to continue providing much needed assistance to older people throughout Bristol because of the generous donations and sponsorship that it receives, and all donations are received with enormous gratitude. During July and August of this year however, James Perrott and James Stevens went further than most in a bid to raise money for Age Concern Bristol. The Bristol based duo cycled over 1,000 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats in just 11 days! An incredible achievement, made even more special by the fact they have raised more than £2,000 for Age Concern Bristol so far.
The journey began back in the winter of 2008 after a game of squash and a post-match pint resulted in the (possibly slightly inebriated) decision to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groat’s, and raise money for charity in the process.
Remarkably, one of the bikes used for the journey was bought second hand and originally built in 1982 by the Bristol based company, ARGOS Racing Cycles. Unsurprisingly, it required some significant fine-tuning before it was ready to travel over 1,000 miles and cover the length of the British Isles. This fine-tuning dominated much of the final week’s preparations but once all the sandblasting, rack mounting and degreasing had been completed, and all the various essential lycra garments had been purchased, the boys were ready to set off.
The expedition officially started for James and James on Sunday 26th July as they departed from Land’s End. Good progress was made on the first day, travelling nearly 100 miles, reaching rainy Bude in Devon and setting up camp. For the first few days, it appeared that the bikes were suffering more than the riders as new brake pads and chains were required by the time they had reached Bristol on day three. It was in Bristol that James and James picked up an additional team mate, famous DJ Dave Pearce. He rode with them from Bristol to Crewe, turning up in an appropriately antique bike and providing some much needed moral support, before getting the train back to Bristol on day five.
By day seven, and with nearly 700 miles under their belts, James and James crossed the border into Scotland, where they were greeted with significantly less sympathetic weather conditions as well as a more arduous terrain. The wind had been kind to the boys prior to their arrival in Scotland, but they were soon met with strong headwinds that turned their progress through the Scottish Highlands into a real battle. However, it was a battle that the boys eventually won as they reached John O’Groats on Wednesday 5th August, the 11th day of their journey.
It is important to remember the reason why James and James decided to risk life, limb (and blisters) and attempted this epic feat; to raise money for Age Concern Bristol. They made Age Concern Bristol their charity of choice early on in their planning as they decided they wanted to raise money to help older people. On their online blog, which served as a diary for those wanting to follow their progress, James reveals they discovered the excellent work of Age Concern Bristol and that they felt privileged to be supporting them. One of the first things mentioned on the blog is that one in four older people is living in poverty. James and James highlight areas of Age Concern Bristol’s work such as housing support, community development, information and advice and befriending, stating them as a big motivation in their decision to select ACB as their charity of choice.
Age Concern Bristol is hugely grateful for the sacrifices that James and James made during their remarkable money-raising effort. It is not too late to make a donation yourself, and all contributions are welcome, no matter what the size. Visit www.justgiving.com/LEJoG-James-2009/ to donate.