Archives: Challenges

Christmas Beer for Barnardo’s

For the first time in many years we can’t hold our traditional London Covent Garden and Leeds German Market beer gatherings in the run up to Christmas, for obvious reasons.

Instead with our friends at Nomadic Brewing, we are holding a virtual beers session on Friday 18th December at 19.00, together with a tutored tasting event!

Please support Barnardo’s by joining our Zoom beer session.

Simply order your “Christmas Taproom in a Box” from Nomadic, make an online donation, and join us (on Zoom) for a couple of hours on the Friday evening to talk to the brewer and meet friends, old and new.

At checkout please “add a note” including “Beers for Barnardo’s” to ensure your order arrives in good time.

Two different Christmas Taproom boxes are available; one with four mixed beers and the other with four pale beers. This great offer includes 10.5 pints (4 x 1.5L pouches), two bar snacks and delivery for just £30 from our friends at Nomadic.

Mixed: Pale 3.8%, Strider 4.4%, Sister Doris 5.2%, Sonic Titan 5.8%

Pale: Session 3.8%, GeeGee 4.5%, Civilised Savage 4.5%, TBC

Cycling the Distance of the 2019 White Hat Rally for Barnardo’s

I am raising money for Barnardo’s, and aim to cycle the 600 mile distance of the 2019 White Hat Rally by the end of calendar year (hopefully before!).

I’m hoping to do this as quickly as possible. As winter approaches it will become progressively less pleasant due to weather and reduction in daylight.

Why am I doing this?

Since 2015, I have taken the opportunity to raise money for Barnardo’s by taking part in the White Hat Rally. Due to COVID restrictions, we have been unable to run the rally in 2020.

For the last few years, the rally has raised between £50,000 to £70,000 for Barnardo’s per year. Unless we do something else, this will be money they will not have this year.

The work Barnardo’s do has not stopped. The challenges of COVID-19 impact Barnardo’s in their work, but also all he children in the environments they are in.

This is why I have decided to support Barnardo’s, as part of the White Hat 100 club.

About me:

As a father of 2, and working fulltime, with both weekday and weekend commitments I do not have the option to take a few weekends out to dedicate to this. With this in mind, I plan to do this around my working and domestic schedule (typically an hour every couple of days).

Am I a “pro cyclist”? Categorically not!. More to the point, until recently I had not ridden bike for a round 20 odd years. I’ve also managed to put on an additional 20+ kgs weight during over the period, which will not help matters.

Since the start of COVID-19 lockdowns, and switch to working from home, I have tried use cycling every couple of days for an 30 minutes to an hour as means of remaining active and fit. Whilst this is ‘relatively pleasant’ when the sun is shining, I doubt October, November and December will be as kind.

My progress- see my VirginMoneyGiving Link for updates on my progress