I decided to take on the challenge because we thought this was an excellent way of supporting Aspire whilst keeping myself and my family fit in lockdown.  We have taken on the challenge as a team – my husband and two children, aged 10 and 12 - and between us we are handcycling, cycling, pushing and walking.

We are really enjoying the challenge and getting out and about around our local area.  We try to go out every day but have had a few days off due to illness.  I work part-time and my children need to do their home schooling so we tend to go out late afternoon.  Doing the challenge makes us go out and exercise.  Sometimes I don’t feel like it but once we are out of the house we always enjoy it.  For my children, because of lockdown they are spending more time on their devices, so this gets them off their screens and out of the house!

Exercise is so good for our mental health as it releases natural endorphins that help with our mood. After home schooling and working we need something else to focus on so the challenge has helped us as a family.

I would recommend to anyone that they should take on this challenge; firstly, to support this amazing charity and second, it forces you out of the house to do exercise and gives you a target to focus on. 

Being disabled, I would recommend it to other disabled people as it can help maintain a healthy lifestyle and will give them a purpose in these challenging times.

Before lockdown I would go to the gym regularly and do FES cycling indoors.  This challenge has made me find a new passion in cycling outdoors and I will definitely carry it on once lockdown is over.

Our fundraising is going well so far.  I haven’t done any fundraising before, but have been asking friends, family and my followers on Instagram to sponsor us.  I find it’s helpful to keep people updated regularly about our progress and post lots of photographs of our adventures.

I have a spinal cord injury myself and so it means a lot to be raising funds to support others.  I work for Aspire and so I know how much their services do to support people with Spinal Cord Injury.  My role as an Independent Living Advisor at Aspire during the Coronavirus crisis has given me the opportunity to see what newly injured patients in hospital are currently going through.  If they don’t have the ability to use their upper body, they won’t be able to use a phone or tablet to have contact with friends and family.  I have spoken to people at home that are feeling very vulnerable and isolated during lockdown, so I have been a friendly ear offering peer support and practical advice to help them through this worrying time.

Sponsor Lindsay

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