Plutus UK Ltd Save The Day

Yesterday I received confirmation of our final sponsor for the kit for the ride.
Kenny at Plutus UK Ltd has agreed to fund the final amount to ensure that we can get the kit made whilst donating a healthy amout to Help for Heroes. Here's a little something about Plutus UK Ltd from their website
When you're putting your trust in someone to look after your stock or delivery of consignments. Our main services include:
:: Contract Packing
:: Bonded Warehousing Solutions
:: Archiving
:: Bonded Bulk Liquid Storage (Hazardous Material)
As an independent business, Plutus was established in 1993 and has enjoyed impressive growth by providing efficient solutions to wide range of clients.
Operating on a 24 hour, 365 day a year basis, our service reflects a total commitment to our customers' needs.
We're large enough to cope yet small enough to care, and ideally situated at a prime logistical location with access to Liverpool Docks and main motorway networks.

I've been in touch with Andrew at Custom Cycle Clothing and he's getting the final design drawn up, as soon as this is done we can get it made and get out and about to show them off. A few people taking part in the ride have asked about buying some of the kit for themselves so I've agreed that if they let me know before our order goes in we can add some bits for them so if you like the design just let me know and we can order more if need be.
For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

Aquity Have Done It Again

Again Aquity Special Forces Kit Supplies have been a great source of support, they have provided me with a hydration pack and 2 pairs of sunglasses to be used as prizes on the charity night.

I want to thanks all the staff at the store and I hope that you will help them out and pay a visit to their website and pick up a bargain. Here's a little bit of info from their website:

Special Forces Kit Store provides Specialist Tactical Equipment for Military, PSD and Civilian Operators. All products in our Kit Store are thoroughly field tested and extensively used by Special Forces Units worldwide.
We specialize in the supply of ballistic protection armour. Our equipment capability research team keep abreast of the latest body armour technology allowing us to obtain the most covert/overt, low profile vests in the world as used by Special Forces Units.
All our armour is accredited to the minimum of NIJ (National Institute of Justice Level) IIIA. Our SF range offers in addition extremely high V50 fragmentation ratings whilst still offering lightweight properties. Bulldog Armour has the British Home Office rating of HG2 and stab/spike resistance of KR2. It offers a 10 year manufacturer guarantee and has waterproof properties. AQUITY is also the supplier of England’s Armour including the England’s covert vest and the award winning Inflatable Body Armour System IBAS®
The ballistic helmets listed in our kit store are the Bulldog Gentex Style based on Gentex TBH and the Bulldog SF helmet. All ballistic items offer the minimum standard military levels required. We have large stocks of British Airborne Para Helmets and can obtain most british military styles if requested.
AQUITY also offer the unique service of personalising your assault vest with any of our soft armour range. We have the armour specifically cut to fit your carrier or assault vest. We have large stocks of armour cut to fit most of the BlackHawk tactical range such as the Tactical Cutaway Vest, Cutaway Plate Carrier and the Plate Carrier or Heli Vest. Other vests include the Paraclete RAV and the Warrior Assault Systems RICAS vest, Eagle Industries MARCIRAS and CIRAS. If you have a carrier not mentioned we can consider armouring it for you to your specifications.
We stock a wide range of BlackHawk items, any that are not shown in our kit store can be ordered in specifically pending a waiting period. Other products in our store include – Red I Laser, 5.11, TAS Tactical Adjustment Systems, Garmin, Original Eickhorn, Lowa boots, Adidas GSG9 boots, 5.11 boots, Body Armour and Bullet proof vests.

For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

Wall-E Gone!

The auction for the Wall-E promotional display model has ended and reached £26.34 so that will be added to the total for Help for Heroes.
Thanks to everyone who put in a bid.

For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

Still Seeking Sponsorship

I've been speaking with the compaby that are planning to make my cycling kit as it's getting close and we're still without a main sponsor. He's agreed to drop the price a little in return for his logo on the design. With this in mind we can now drop the main sponsor contribution from £600 to £400 allowing us to get the kit made up but also have a good amount to give to Help for Heroes.
We are now asking anyone with a business or in a position to act on behalf of a business to get in touch.
So far we have Howdens Joinery, Clarks BMW Bikes and Cycle In Style supporting us.
For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

12 Hours to Go On Wall-E

The eBay auction has just 12 hours left to run and it's only at £5.50, if you loved the film now's the time to get the real thing.
Click on the link below and get a bid in.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=300294439482
Don't forget all the money goes to Help for Heroes

For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

WALL-E Promotional Display Auction Live NOW!

The auction's live now!
Get yourself to eBay and have a look and get a bid in. If you know anyone who would love to have this in their house/room/bar please forward this link onto you?

For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

2 Sponsors Sorted - Clarks Motorcycles & Howdens Joinery

Geoff and myself have managed to sourse the 1st of our kit sponsors. Both Clarks Motorcycles & Howdens Joinery have agreed to donate £200 each to help cover the cost of our kit and to support Help for Heroes. We just need to source the last Primary sponsor for £600 so we can get the kit in production and get out there and start wearing it.





Clarks is a BMW motorcycle dealer in Birmingham, around 12 months ago it was taken over by the current MD Daniel Morgan who has tried to adopt a fresh new approach to the business.
The deal in both new & used bikes and all the accessories you could imagine. Check out the website or pop along to meet the friendly team and see the great offers they have on.




The Howdens Joinery Company offers a range of kitchens and joinery products specifically designed to meet the needs of modern living; complete with a full range of accessories, built-in appliances, work surfaces, sinks and taps.

For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

Wall-E Comes To Town

I've managed to get hold of a display from the feature film WALL-E, this is a massive display and would look great in a kids playroom or even in the corner of any student house. The box on the left is the size of a pallett and holds WALL-E to keep him safe. I'm going to be auctioning him off from Monday on eBay so check out my link at the top right to buy wristbands and you will find the auction there.

All money raised from the sale will be going straight into the collection for my bike ride to raise money for Help for Heroes. Keep your eye on the site to find out more.

For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

Prize Number 1

I was given my 1st prize this week. Thanks again to all the staff at The Fulwood Arms again for their kind donation of a meal for two.
The Fulwood Arms can be found directly facing the entrance to Sefton Park Lake on Aigburth Road. It has a stunning Victorian Burlesque interior with gilt mirrors, chandeliers, velvet curtains, antique bar and Pre-Raphaelite wall papers. It offers a wide range of cask ales, beers, spirits and wines with food being served from 12 noon - 8pm 7 days a week.
I've been in a few times and really enjoyed myself, the foods great and the place has a laid back atmosphere.

Hopefully this is just the start of it. I'm planning on getting loads more prizes.

For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

It's a Pair Now

I've been speaking with another rider in this years BBBR. Geoff is 41 years old and lives in Northwich, Cheshire with his wife and 2 children, Geoff is a former soldier of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps who served for 5 years including tours of Cyprus and Germany.
Geoff is on board with the kit and is now also looking for sponsors so we're now looking for either £1000 or 3 sponsors of £600, £200 & £200. This means that whoever helps us out will be getting local press around the Liverpool, Northwich and surrounding areas. If anyone else on the ride is interested please get in touch with me.

I've mailed a couple of local cycle clubs tonight to try and get some training buddies as the long lonely night rides really get to me. This could also be another great way to tap into some sponsorship.

For further info please mail me on yimmin@btinternet.com

Advertising Sponsor Required

I'm looking for some sponsors for a shirt I want to get made up. I'm looking for 3 sponsors to provide money for the shirt and Help for Heroes in return for their logo on the kit. I'm offering 1 large chest or back logo for offers of £300 upwards and 2 sponsors of £100 upwards for an arm and leg logo. These prices are based upon a kit for myself but I may have another rider joining in so I would be asking for £600 and £200 to cover the additional costs and ensuring that the charity gets a decent amount.

This is a mock up of the shirt to give people an idea of how it might look. If you have a business of know of someone who would be interested please point them in my direction.

Santa Dash - DONE!

The 1st tasks done now, I got round the 5km course in 25 minutes. I may have been quicker if it wasn't for the huge numbers of runners I was stuck behind.

Of the money raised for the dash the 1st £20 has to go to the Echo's chosen charity but anything else will be going into the Help for Heroes Pot.

Every year I do this and I've not managed to get a photo of myself yet.

All by myself, Gonna be all by myself.

It seems like I'm the only one out of the people I met last year that is able to take part in this years ride so the team has been reduced to just me. I'd still like to get a kit made up and would very much like a sponsor to help me out. Above is a design that was drawn up for me by Andrew Saunders at http://www.cycleinstyle.org/. As soon as I can get someone to help me out with the costs I want to get an order in. Anywhere that you see text on the design is where the Just Giving, Help for Heroes and sponsor details can be included.
I'll be writing to as many companies as I can in the local area to see if any of them would be willing to help me out with a sponsorship deal so I can get the kit made up. As the numbers have dropped I'm thinking that the prices are going to have to go up. I'd like to get 1 sponsor of at least £300 and 2 of at least £100 to cover the cost of production but also making sure the charity gets something out of it. If someone is willing to help out please get in touch, if I can get more I would be made up.

In May 2008, 275 Help for Heroes cyclists, including a team from the Tri service rehabilitation centre at Headley Court, cycled through the battlefields of Northern France to link the actions of servicemen and women of the past with those of today. By the time we reached the shores of England hundreds of other riders joined us at Whitehall and we all rode past The Cenotaph, the ride had raised more that £1.3m for Help for Heroes.

In May 2009 Help for Heroes are doing another ride, The Band of Brothers Bike Ride. 300 of us will ride through the Normandy battlefields to commemorate the Allies’ liberation of Europe 65 years ago. With us will be teams from our Allies of today, wounded servicemen from America, Canada and France as well as our own from Headley Court.

The ride will be a challenge, France is not flat, for some it will be life changing but for all it will certainly be one of the most worthwhile things they have ever done. We will ride alongside brave men and women whose lives have also changed forever through their injuries and we will have the satisfaction of knowing that we will be helping raise money for them and hundreds like them.

Whilst remembering the efforts of all the WWII heroes, we are doing this ride to remember and care for the wounded soldiers of today. Each rider has pledged to raise money for Help for Heroes and by taking part we will be making a significant contribution towards the H4H cause. Last year I managed to raise just over £3500 so I've upped the ante this year and set a target of £5000.

At the moment I'm just waiting on the actual details and route of the ride and also on confirmation from a few people who I rode with last year as we are looking at the possibility of a team effort.

As soon as I know more I'll get the details on here.

To start the money coming in I'm taking part in the Liverpool Santa Dash for the 5th year on the 7th of December. As I'm still waiting on info about the team entry I haven't set up a just giving page yet so please visit my Facebook page which allows you to make donations. FACEBOOK

Confirmed

I've just received an email advising me that I've got my place for the Band Of Brother Bike ride in May 2009. I've also entered into the 2008 Santa Dash in Liverpool and also the 2009 Liverpool Half Marathon.

I'm hoping to find out if anyone else has been able to get places for the ride this year to see if the team is going to happen before I set up the Just Giving site. But in the meantime I can still accept sponsorship and donations via my facebook page and also the good old fashioned cash.

Watch this space for more information

Team BBBR

This year I've spoken with a few people that I did the ride with last year and we're talking about the possibility of putting a team together for next years effort.

I've been speaking with Andy at http://www.cycleinstyle.org/ about a team kit, the initial design looks pretty good.

Training Plans

Last time I really didn't prepare for the bike ride properly so this time I'm going to do it properly. I'm going to get a good plan together and stick to it. I'm planning on doing the Santa Dash and Liverpool Half Marathon to start with and hopefully get through them injury free this time so I'll be nice and fit for the bike ride.

I've set up a Sponsor Me page through Facebook until I get all the details of the bike ride to be able to use Just Giving again. If you want to visit it and become a supporter please feel free.
Help For Heroes - The Big Battlefield Bike ride Tales
I'm also selling the wristbands to continue to raise money and they are available through eBay.
Help For Heroes Charity Wristband

If you have any ideas on ways to raise money or you know of someone or a company that would be willing to help support the event please let me know.

Am I crazy!!!!!!!!

My Mum has put in for a trek along the Great Wall of china next year and i think I may have also put my name into the hat. With this and the next bike ride I'm gonna loose all my mates.

I'm going to need some big corporate sponsorship for this one.

It's happening again.

I've just received a mail telling me that the next Bike ride's in the pipeline.

It's going to be based around the D-Day landings and is set to be bigger and better than last years ride. I've already thrown my name in the hat and have started to put the money from the sale of wristbands away to add to my sponsor ship. I want to get a good start on it this year so I'm starting to plan a few money spinning ideas, as soon as I get the go ahead for a place I'm going to spring into action. Keep your eye on this space and let me know if you know any big spenders who are likely to sponsor such an event.

Day 1 - The Ferry

Sunday 25th
We all set off at about 14:00 to get down to Portsmouth. So me, Donna, Tom and my mum all piled into the fiesta and set off.
After a pretty good drive down we arrived in Portsmouth and settled into our hotel which was host to the regional Crown Green Bowls competition, we managed to lower the average age to about 70. We went round the waterfront for a few drinks and found that there isn't that many places and the ones that were open were dives, so we ended up back in the Hotel bar.

Monday 26th
The folowing morning we all got up a little bleary eyed after our late night escapades and went for a hearty breakfast before heading off to the meeting point. On route we looked round the shops and tried to get our heads back to normal working order. at 14:00 we went to the Historic Dockyard to get me registered and it was there that the fun began.
Firstly everyone had massive bags so I started panicking thinking that I'd missed something off the kit list, then everyone looked really serious and in great shape. This was not going to be fun. Then I started to see the older riders arriving an the beer loving ex-squaddies we know and love. My kinda people.
After registering we dropped all my stuff off then waited ropund for the starting build up. There was a fly past by the Red arrows at about 16:00 which was pretty good, but I did think that they should have come back round again. At 17:30 all family and friends had to leave the Naval base so I was on my own with a massive hangover. I had a drink to try to sort me out and something to eat, I went over and introduced myself to Craig Lundberg, a 22 scouser who was injured in combat in 2007, and his co rider Phil. They were doing the ride on an old beat up tandem.
After we had an introduction from Bryn & Emma Parry who set up the ride and Help for Heroes and Jonathon Bryan from Discover Adventure we eading back to the area by HMS Victory where a group of riders from Headley Court an several others were waiting to start the ride. The Royal Marine then played a Ceremonial Sunset which was brilliant then the riders were sent on their way by the Second Sea Lord and the Commodore. At this point the rest of us gathered our bikes and set off on the short journey to the Ferry Port.
Once at the port we waited for what seemed like forever in the cold before being allowed to board. Once on board I shared a cabin with Olly, Olly and Harry, then it was to the bar. After a couple of hours the bar closed and it was time for bed and to worry about the days riding ahead.

Total Miles - 2.3