I'm passionate about giving back and do my bit for my local community. So a few years ago I decided to investigate how I could help my local hospice, which is KEMP Hospice.
I started out becoming a volunteer in the warehouse and supporting the team with sorting donated items.
I then became an ambassador for Kemp and help them get started with their digital social media efforts.
And I'm pleased to say that together with the wider ambassador team, we are now organising some new and exciting events for the charity starting in 2013.
And I've always wanted to do a personal challenge. I love cycling, well I'm a Dutchman so you would expect that! So when KEMP Hospice announced that there was an opportunity to do the London to Brighton cycle ride, I jumped at the opportunity.
Why? A personal challenge to support a charity is not only rewarding for the charity but hugely satisfying on a personal level too and something you will never forget.
KEMP Hospice do some amazing things for the local community and their efforts in their new 'children bereavement service' has been hugely successful. So my fundraising efforts are targeted towards this work, as I personally believe it is hugely important. I personally lost my own parents when they were very young. I was 25 when I lost my dad and although I was not a child any longer, it affected me deeply even at that age.
The London to Brighton bike ride is 54 miles (86.9km) long and takes place on the 8th September. One week later on the 15th September I will be 54. I didn't realise this coincidence until after I had booked on the ride, a nice surprise and a very appropriate time for me to do this ride!
So I've started my training, 330 miles so far after day 14, which will be interrupted by a holiday but I will have a further month of further training before the big day!
If you fancy sponsoring me you can do this via;
Follow my progress via @stayingaliveuk
