Yes it was a blatant eye grabbing attempt but for a good cause so why not? See link below.

https://www.justgiving.com/CHRIS-Westcott1/ [1]

Here at New Business we don't normally ask for money, well outside of a reasonable subscription price for the quarterly magazine but we are now.

Amongst our activities, some more physical than others, we sponsor a club level squash team that plays out of Bromley Kent, known as the Lawns. The team won their league and cup double last season with 5 guys playing in any one match out of a squad of 12. One of the squad, Kevin Ford, who would always be one of the first selected, sadly succumbed to Pancreatic Cancer earlier in the year.

In an effort to raise money and awareness for this vicious cancer, that has a survival rate of only 3%, 5 of the squad are riding from Paris back to London on September 5^th,6^th and 7^th and need your support. As a reserve to the reserve but winning more than I lose - just, I am pleased to be going along on the trip.

Please click on the link above that will take you to my Just Giving page where you can donate safely to this excellent cause and read more of the story.

Some facts, relevant and otherwise

• Most cycle trips involving Paris and London start in the UK. They all have it wrong! A casual glance at a map of France will show that the river Seine flows through Paris and empties its snail shells into the English Channel. Fact: Rivers don't flow uphill so Paris to London is the way forward .
• The trip is unsupported. This is raw charity riding. No guys handing out burgers through the windows of some support vehicle. We carry our own onions metaphorically speaking and go either the pannier or back pack route regarding our luggage.
• The trip is 200 miles split more or less 65 miles a day.
• In training we have covered about 400 miles each
• On a trip to the coast to simulate one day's riding in France, we covered 77 miles and three out of the four riders came off their bikes at one stage. I had a part to play in each of these unfortunate incidents.
• If you might be a little ageist, consider this. Average age of our motley crew of squash players turning to lycra, for whatever reason is 50 + and all the guys can play two hours squash each Saturday.
• In our training rides a weak link has developed and I am wearing his kit
• Kent where we train doesn't have any flat areas at all
• Padded anything is good. Shorts , saddle, gloves.
• The trip starts close to 1.00pm from the Eiffel Tower on Friday September 5^th

With an accident rate of 75% on a serious day's riding, our record is not that encouraging but on the back of that we have more medical supplies than clothes packed and we hope that everything pans out OK .

Your donations no matter how small would be appreciated so click the link above, it's a secure method of giving and support the cause.

Thanks in advance

Chris

Chris Westcott, Director New Business.