Would you do it again?
I believe in fate. I believe on that day, in that moment 37 riders from SJ Cycling were meant to be standing at the start line to ride from London to Brighton.
For those who started on this journey with me many months ago, you know this was never our path. Our direction was very different. As our journey progressed, circumstances changed, and we were taken down this path and given the opportunity in this sacred month to bring water to the most impoverished in the world. That is fate!
As we moved forward in our journey, we appealed to the community, in the UK and globally for your support; and you answered. Together we have raised over £31,000 for Ali Asghar Water Appeal, to benefit humanity. But it wasn’t only the money we raised; the community came together to support in every aspect. The London to Brighton cycle ride became a community event; and we appreciate the help of so many of you for all you have done.
For our cyclists, 8 weeks of training culminated in an epic 54 mile journey from London to Brighton. The hundreds of hours of training, and thousands of miles resulted in each and every rider crossing the finish line in Brighton on that day. The commitment, persistence, and hard work demonstrated by each of these riders was inspirational. We were fortunate on that hot day, there were several water stations along the journey, and dedicated volunteers brought us supplies halfway. Can you imagine having to complete that journey in the heat without water.
Today in countries all over the world women and children walk miles in the heat to try and access clean water.
To our volunteers, sponsors and donors, all I can say is you are the unsung heroes who dedicated a huge amount of time and effort to make our day a success. Surely, this is our greatest asset as a community, the selfless act of giving.
To the community at large, we thank you for your support. We are truly brilliant when we come together. Let us build on this momentum, and use this platform to reach further, and benefit many more in a world that needs our help.
Would you do it again? I have been asked this many times in the past few days, and the answer is ….. YES.
To view more activities and training prior to the event, visit www.sjhub.org.uk
Mohamed Ladha – Head, SJ Cycling