Allison Grainger is not a long distant cyclist. So she’s a bit surprised she has signed up for this summer’s 338 mile ‘3 Cities Cycle Challenge’ in aid of GWH’s Brighter Futures Fund: “It’s the first time I’ve done anything organised in the way of cycling.”
Allison lives in Ogbourne St Andrew and is more used to cycling the dog for a walk along the old railway track towards Chiseldon. But since last March she has been doing a 20 mile ride once a week.
Recently she stretched that 20 miles and completed a 40 mile ride. She was so exhausted when she got home that she went straight to bed.
Nothing daunted, she is looking forward to training during the spring and summer to get fit fit for the challenge at the end of August. As part of the training she is entering at least two Sportives – the longer, organised cycle rides of 70 and 100 miles.
And she has great support from her family – her husband, son and daughter – as well as her extended family. She works from home as a media consultant so can fit her work round her training.
Marlborough News Online asked Allison why she wants to raise funds for GWH? This time last year when we had snow instead of rain, her son broke his leg quite badly in a tobogganing accident and was in the GWH for three days: “The hospital were amazing – so it’s a big ‘thank you’ to them. But of course we hope we don’t have to go there again for anything like that!”
The 3 Cities Challenge will take Allison and her bike from London to Harwich, by ferry across to the Hook of Holland, to Amsterdam, Turnhout and ending in Brussels. The journey back to London is, thankfully, via Eurostar.
There will be up to 150 people on this organised cycle challenge – and about 70 of them will be backing GWH’s Brighter Futures fund. To take part you pay a £99 registration fee and raise a minimum of £1,500 in sponsorship.
The longest day’s ride is the 120 mile leg across Holland from Amsterdam to Turnhout. That is on day three so legs will be getting a little tired: “In my mind Holland’s very, very flat – so maybe that’ll help. But I bet Holland turns out to have a few hills. And that’s 120 miles without detours!”
GWH’s Brighter Futures Fund helps to provide the right environment for patients and staff at GWH and at its community hospitals to enable them to give the efficient and ambitious health care that is expected of the NHS. It pays for those important extras the NHS cannot provide – such as toys in children’s wards and waiting areas.
Allison has a friend who works at GWH who is joining the challenge. And she was quite relieved to hear that Wiltshire Councillor Jemima Milton, who has recently become a Non-Executive Director at GWH, will be another rookie long-distance cyclist joining the challenge – and she has yet to buy a bicycle.
To join the challenge visit the GWH website or contact Jennifer Green on 01793 605631 or via email at fundraising@gwh.nhs.uk If you want to sponsor Allison go to the Do-It-For-Charity website.
