The Big Green Bike Ride - On the road again

Susie Hewson

11 April 2013

It's amazing I cycled all the way from London to Edinburgh in just 6 days, blogs Susie Hewson - a participant in last year's Big Green Bike Ride. 

Cycling with my 23 year old son Andrew was fantastic because we supported each other during the exhilarating challenge. We shared beautiful landscapes, sang in the rain, and shed tears of joy at the finish.

Reliving the journey, I am really excited to take part in this year's ride with my 26 year old son James. He's also looking forward to the experience - especially after all the stories he's had to listen to from us about "the time we cycled to Edinburgh".  I'm doing it again because apart from having such a fantastic time last year, it is the most selfish way to raise money for a great organisation. I say this because the rides are great fun, a wonderful individual challenge, and you get to meet so many interesting people.

The fundraising is the hardest work - the cycling is a doddle in comparison.

It helps to be as creative and cunning as possible to make handing over cash a really good idea for sponsors. I was lucky to gather quite a bit. Some great companies supported me after I wrote emails and letters to them. I told them what I was putting myself through so they could stay at home and feel good about giving, without getting wet or breaking out in a sweat.

I do not have a lot of spare time because I work long hours. So getting the message out to potential sponsors, friends and family about why I was cycling and how the money raised for Friends of the Earth also benefitted them, was important and certainly got results.

I was really surprised to learn that I had won a beautiful custom built Racer Rosa bicycle for being the top fundraiser last year - though this time I will be pedalling my hybrid bike to the New Forest. The best reward of all though was to finish the ride with pride and get the money in for Friends of the Earth. I am grateful to their support team who made sure the trip went smoothly.

I wear my Big Green Bike Ride T-shirt with pride. After a local ride here in Bristol the other week, a guy asked me where he could buy my T-shirt. I told him straight "You have to cycle a long way for Friends of the Earth to earn one!"

Whatever the weather, James and I will be on our bikes cycling those 125 miles to the New Forest on 27 and 28 April, for the fun of it and to raise lots of cash - oh, and to earn the T shirt! I urge everyone out there to sign up.