Blackmore's Big Bike Challenge to Europe

I have no idea why I have signed up to do this but next Thursday (April 14) I will be hopping onto an exercise bike and "cycling" the equivalent of King’s Lynn to Calais, in France to raise awareness of and funds for the Bobby Moore Fund and to help children have a better education and future in Namibia.

The exercise bike will be set up outside Sainsbury's in the Vancouver Quarter in Lynn just before 7am and I will attempt to push my body to its limits to cover the 139 miles - as the crow flies - to the French port in around 12 hours (I hope).

This fundraising idea was the brainchild of Abbie Panks, marketing manager of the Vancouver Quarter in King's Lynn, who is also going to put a second exercise bike alongside mine to encourage members of the public to join me in my quest. She has also said these people can help reduce the amount of miles I need to cover by 20pc (28 miles), assuming of course I get enough people to pedal that amount!

So please if you live or work in King's Lynn make sure you pop along to see me next Thursday at any time and hop on the another exercise bike to help reduce the miles my poor legs will need to pedal!

I have been very fortunate that Abbie has sorted this all out for me and that the Vancouver Quarter management are allowing this crazy attempt to even take place. I am also very grateful to LA Fitness in King's Lynn who are lending us the exercise bikes and to Sainsbury's who will keep me fed and hydrated during the day. I have also been delighted by the excellent support of the EDP and of KLFM - in particular presenter Simon Rowe and news editor Alix Young. I think Si is even going to hop onto the second bike and help reduce the amount of miles I need to do before doing his afternoon show which would be fantastic.

The whole point of taking on such a over-the-top challenge is to raise  £4,000 so that I can join a group of volunteers to fly out and give a much-needed facelift to Tubusis Primary School in the Damaraland region of Namibia in June in an international project run by the Bobby Moore Fund. Once raised, this money will be split with half going towards dedicated bowel cancer research and the other half to project costs in Namibia.

So far, thanks to friends, family, community website downhamweb, Liz Pendleton, from Lingo Design, Michael and Wendy Foot, from the Robert Foot Leukaemia Fund, the rotary clubs covering Downham Market, Littleport and King's Lynn, and the support of Archant, HoldTheFrontPage, the Wisbech Standard and the Fenland Citizen I have raised a staggering £3,400.

I am hopeful that this challenge will take a large chunk out of the £600 I have left to raise but I am not setting myself any targets because you just never know what is going to happen on the day. I just hope I manage to cover the miles I need to in reasonable time because someone will have to pack away once I am done you know!


It would be fantastic if you might be able to sponsor me ahead of or after this challenge. You can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/davidblackmore4 . It is really quick and easy to donate and it can be as little as £5.

There will be a video of me attempting this challenge made on the day and of course I will update my blog following the challenge to let you all know how I got on and if I even managed to cover the miles required.