🚴🏽 It’s just 1 week today until the start of #RideForFreedom2019. We’re calling in at BRE, Watford, which is home to BREEAM, the Rights Lab at Nottingham University, Marshalls Plc in Elland, and Hope for Justice in Manchester. Here’s the route. Follow our progress on twitter @GordonMiller81
🚴🏽 The Rights Lab Director, Professor Zoe Trodd, said: “We are delighted to host Gordon on his intrepid bike journey to raise money and awareness to support survivors of slavery. Gordon is an inspiration for us in the Rights Lab in his leadership and personal dedication to survivor-focused anti-slavery work.”
🚴🏽 In week 2, the 14-18th, we’ll be cycling Bristol-Cardiff-Stroud-Didcot-Bracknell-London. Several folk – including Andrew Wallis OBE, CEO Unseen – will ride the 50 miles from Bristol to Cardiff on the 14th. The University of South Wales will welcome us into Cardiff. Here’s the full second week’s route.
🚴🏽 We’re delighted that Baroness Lola Young OBE will meet us at Victoria Tower Gardens, London SW1P, on the final stage on Anti-Slavery Day, 18 October. Dean Stott, world record holder for cycling 14,000 miles in 99 days (yes, read that number again), will also be there to meet us. Come along too – the meeting point is the Buxton Memorial Fountain (pictured).
🚴🏽 We’ll be riding several of the National Cycle Network routes that criss-cross the country. They’re mostly traffic-free or traffic light routes; look out for the distinctive blue signage with a cyclist logo and red number when you’re out and about. I’ve enjoyed riding the routes while training, and you can read about my exploits on the Sustrans’ website.
🚴🏽 If you’re an ethical consumer (and who isn’t these days?!) £50 is donated to #RideForFreedom2019 when you buy a responsibly sourced, cool ‘n practical #CityBrix backpack, priced £150. Use the code RideForFreedom2019 at the checkout & you’ll receive a £25 discount too. Win! Win! KitBrix – No Fuss, Just Organised Kit. #Kitbrix
🚴♂️ The jerseys have arrived! Pictured here being modelled by yours truly. If you’d like to buy one they’re priced £69 and £18 of that is donated to the receiving charities. To order a high performance, sustainable (each one is made from 6 recycled plastic bottles) jersey, get in touch. Don’t the corporate supporters’ logos look fetching on the jerseys?! Many thanks indeed to BRE Group/BREEAM, Lowery, Marshalls Plc, Smarter Technologies and Sustain Worldwide who have enabled #RideForFreedom2019.
🚴🏽 So, let the ride begin! The training has been done. More than 1,000 kms were clocked in September – that’s my most ever in 1 month. I’ve cycled at least 5,000 kms in total. I’ve been lucky: most of it has been done in the sunshine; I’ve only had 3 punctures, and no incidents/accidents. Long may that continue…
🚴🏽 Finally, if you haven’t yet donated, now’s the time head over to JustGiving. Your donation will support the survivors of modern slavery via the work of Unseen and Hope for Justice. Thanks in expectation.
Please get in touch if you want to get involved, cycle, support, donate, sponsor or know someone who you think might.
To recap, the ride is to support the rehabilitation of survivors of modern slavery via the work of charities Unseen and Hope for Justice.