Sponsorship flooding in

Hi,

I have been asking people to turn their vague commitments to sponsor me into hard cash or at least clear figures. Pledges and money are coming in ever day just now. I already have over £400 pledged which is great and very uplifting for me. We need more much more I am hoping for at least £2K but with your support could go even higher.

On a somewhat related theme - we are on this planet together and our actions affect each other - CycleHero, CTC’s 60-second film on Climate Change and cycling, which will be seen this summer by 3 million cinema goers, can now be viewed at cyclehero.com. This video clip is a joy to watch.

My University has just given me and my team the go ahead in principle to do some teaching in Kenya with KAPC's help starting Autumn 2008. I am no specialist on HIV or on how to make best use of counselling in Kenya that's KAPC speciality. My bit will be sharing the work we do on our professional doctorate here in Manchester with these students-to-be in Kenya. This is all part of infrastructure building.

I am profoundly touched and honoured to be able to do this and it is only my success with such work here in Britain that gives me the nerve and the courage to offer my limited skills out there.

Meanwhile back on the bike it poured down with rain yesterday on the way home. My waterproofs saved the day. I had hoped to cycle along the canals tomorrow but unless the weather improves I wont. I may have to cycle all day in the rain on the LEJOG trip but not now on training days.

Sheila gave me a wonderful gismo for my bike which I have just had fitted. It records my speed and distance travelled. Even when I feel a bit sluggish I find that I am still doing 8 miles an hour and ordinary cycling is otherwise 10+ miles per hour. This is encouraging. It also means I can finally settle my argument with Christa about how far the LEJOG trip actually is. Though no doubt she will argue that if I am dumb enough to get lost for 20 or 30 miles that does not need the distance between Lands End and John O'Groats for an sensible cyclist is over 1000 miles!

Best to all,

Bill on bike