Going the extra 250 miles

Next week (6-9th October), Nick, a BTP Alfred Street regular, will be cycling from BTP Plymouth to BTP Birmingham in aid of CLIC Sargent. It works out at 250 miles from start to finish, and Nick and friends will be calling in on 12 of our cafes on their travels. A ‘Tour de Boston’ if you will.

The reason they are cycling 250 miles is because 250 young people die of cancer each year.

CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people, and their families. They provide emotional, practical, financial and clinical support to help them cope with cancer and get the most out of life.

Last year, CLIC Sargent supported 650 children and young people with cancer, and their families, from the South West. They gave over 480 grants, to a value of over £96,000, to help families deal with the financial impact of cancer.

Nick’s family was supported by CLIC Sargent when his son, Sam, was diagnosed with and eventually died from a Wilms’ Tumour (a form of kidney cancer). He is cycling from Plymouth to Birmingham Children’s Hospital to raise money for children and young people with cancer.

“CLIC Sargent was there for us throughout Sam’s illness; we need to make sure that other families get the essential support that we received from CLIC Sargent,” said Nick.

Since Sam’s diagnosis in 2008 and death in 2010, Nick and his family and friends have raised over £50,000 for CLIC Sargent.

Last year, Nick and 2 friends cycled 170 miles in a weekend when CLIC Sargent were focusing fund raising on the £170 bursary that they provide for all families of new cancer patients to cope with the costs of the disruption that a diagnosis creates.

This year, Nick and friends are upping the challenge by cycling 250 miles, with their trip taking them across the South West region. They will start in Plymouth on Thursday 6th Oct and end at Birmingham Children’s Hospital (where Sam had major surgery) on Sunday 9th October.

On the way they will be calling on 12 of our cafes where members of our teams will be supporting in a variety of ways, from joining them on the ride to the next café, cycling 250 miles on an exercise bike in the cafe and of course, fuelling the riders with those essential cycling ingredients of coffee, cake and bacon sandwiches.

Nick is aiming to raise £7,500 from the cycle. Here’s an idea of what that money could buy:

• £2.50 could pay for a copy of Shout Out! magazine which supports children during and after treatment, helping them feel less isolated.
• £230 could pay for a family to stay in one of CLIC Sargent’s Homes from Home for a week. Free accommodation near to specialist children’s cancer treatment centres, ensuring parents can be close to their child during treatment.
• £1,051 could pay for a CLIC Sargent Nurse for a week.
• £3,557 could pay for a CLIC Sargent Social Worker for a month.
• £12,571 could pay for a year’s supply of What Now?, CLIC Sargent’s booklet to help parents and carers understand how their child’s cancer may affect them.

Nick said, “Over many years my friends and family have been fantastically generous in donating so much so often, but this year we really want to focus on broadening awareness of the fantastic work that CLIC Sargent do, as well as on raising money. We are hoping that thousands of people will give £1 each via text donations, via the Just Giving website or by donating in any Boston Tea Party café.”

Donations can be made via:-

• the free JustTextGiving service by texting “BTEA99 £1” to 70070
• or via Just Giving
• or in any Boston Tea Party café.

Follow progress on Twitter: @The_Xtra_Mile