....surprising acts of kindness!

Aiden Mitchell was born in June 2014, he suffered a traumatic birth which resulted in 28 minutes of CPR before he was able to take his first breath, wrapped in an ice blanket for 72 hours to stop the spread of brain damage, he was then slowly warmed to room temperature, medical interventions brought about by the work of Action Medical Research (www.action.org.uk).

Aiden is now just over 2 years old and the challenges he is going to face become more apparent, being diagnosed with HIE Grade 3 cerebral palsy causes him to have low trunk and high tone on his arms, Aiden cannot sit unaided or walk, although intensive physiotherapy and specialist equipment enable him to make real progress, much of the specialist treatment that benefits Aiden is only available in the USA.

I got to know to know Keith & Fleur, Aiden's parents, through our connections with Action Medical Research, and from this got to know more about Aiden's story and their very brave & courageous journey for Aiden.

The challenges of riding a bicycle, even long distances through challenging environments and landscapes, seem somewhat minor in comparison to the challenges that Keith, Fleur and Aiden face into, something that, as I have got to know them more, they do so with such unconditional good grace, kindness and generosity. amazingly for others aswell as their own situation.

So, the endeavours of a long distance solo cycling challenge will hopefully encourage the support and acts of kindness from others, to become part of Aiden's opportunity. 

http://www.just4children.org/children-helped-2016/the-amazing-Aiden

A very big thank you to @tonyfisherlive for today's coverage on @BBCEssex 

....a year in the making, and training!

From the beautifully tough training roads of the Lake District, Cumbria and winter roads of Essex, a solo cycling challenge that has been a year in the making and preparation, to the beautifully tough roads of the Atlantic Coast and the Arctic Highway of Norway.