From open road to exercise bike: completing a fundraising challenge against the odds
At Amaze, we are so grateful to have so many brilliant people take on challenges for us. Running, cycling, swimming, walking on hot coals – people do extraordinary stuff! But, it doesn’t always go to plan. What happens if you’ve started training, the fundraising is flowing in, but suddenly you can’t take part in the actual challenge?
We are pleased to share this fundraising story from Seb Pitman, who certainly didn’t let anything stop him – and as he so rightfully says – “where there’s a will, there’s a way”:
“I chose to fundraise for Amaze because they have been a great support to my family, since our oldest child first began to struggle with what was later diagnosed as autism. Alongside that, he is also on the pathway for an ADHD assessment and was diagnosed with Epilepsy around 4 years ago. He has two younger brothers and so, as a family of 5, we all experience plenty of turbulence and pressure and we have all benefitted from the support and guidance of Amaze, including my own involvement with the monthly Dad’s Group, run by Darren Walker.
Having last completed the London to Brighton bike ride over 20 years ago (I think I did it 2 or 3 times back then), I was keen to test my endurance/ability again. As a cyclist, my 10 mile daily commute serves very well in terms of training, and beyond undertaking one or two longer rides across the summer, my preparation was minimal.”
Suffering a setback
“I had been struggling with an increasing level of arthritis in recent years, which has been most prevalent in my thumbs and wrists. After many months of consultation, I was scheduled for surgery. I had believed that this wouldn’t happen until after the ride, but it came before. I soon realised that my recovery would not be sufficient in time for me to take part in the ride but I did begin, slowly, to get back on the bike for shorter rides.
Having already begun to raise monies and with my heart set on doing the ride, this left me feeling very despondent and frustrated. It was at this point that my partner suggested that I could perhaps try completing the mileage on a static bike in a gym, to avoid the stress and impact of the open road. I hadn’t thought of that at all! My mood was instantly lifted.
Working at Sussex University, I set about contacting the gym on campus and they agreed to support me and provide me with a bike and the space in which to complete the ride. I pushed my fundraising efforts heavily on social media, telling my story and pulling in extra support as a result. Maybe people felt sorry for me, maybe it just made the feat seem more impressive. Either way, the donations continued to flow in.”
The day before the official bike ride
“On the Saturday, the day before the actual London to Brighton Cycle, I cycled 5 miles to the gym, completed 50 miles in the gym and then did the final 5 back home. Task complete. Dopamine hit.
If anyone is struggling to complete their fundraising task, for whatever reason, I would urge them to explore all possibilities. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And if you can’t find the solution yourself, talk to as many people as you can. Undoubtedly, you’ll find somebody comes up with an idea you hadn’t thought of.”
Huge thanks to Seb for going above and beyond to fundraise for us and deliver on his challenge, despite his own personal challenges! We hope his story serves as a reminder that there’s more than one way to fundraise.
If you’d like to tackle a challenge for Amaze, you can find all our fundraising events here or alternatively, if you’ve got something else in mind and would like to discuss it with our team, please do email the fundraising team.
