Former Green Party councillor completes cycle round the length of Britain's coast
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
On 1st May, the HebWeb reported that former Green Party councillor Jamie Johnson was about to start an epic cycle trip round the UK. (See below)
6,194 miles later and five months after he set off, former Town Councillor Jamie Johnson has completed his cycling journey around the coast of the United Kingdom and returned to Hebden Bridge. Having raised almost £1,000 for Palestinian refugee children Jamie would like to thank everyone who has sponsored him.
Jamie told the HebWeb, "It was certainly a much more difficult physical challenge than I'd planned for, the weather proved to be an unexpected test, and the hills of Devon and Cornwall were definitely the sternest check on my enthusiasm. It felt really good to pedal back into Hebden Bridge earlier this week!
"The journey will go down in my memory as an immense test of will-power, hard physical graft interspersed with the odd bit of landscape beauty and lots of tea cakes! Far too many housing estate-sized caravan parks pepper our coastline for my liking! Sandwood Bay and Kearvaig, near Cape Wrath, were perhaps my highlights. Swimming in the sea at Herne Bay and Selsey were also good, but particular lows, which might gain the odd crumb of sympathy were the nights spent with tent-loads of west highland midges, pushing the bike 23 miles to Oban after the derailleur broke, inadvertently setting up the tent just yards away from what turned out to be the Fishguard 'boy-racers' meeting point and those damned hills of Devon and Cornwall!
"I stayed in my tent for 95% of the trip, wild camping as I couldn't afford to pay any camping fees."
Former Green Party councillor starts cycle round the length of Britain's coast
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Despite winter-like weather forecasts, Hebden Bridge resident Jamie Johnson has set off to cycle around the coast of Great Britain. The co-founder of Kerbside Recycling, Calder Valley Credit Union, and former Green Party Town Councillor is hoping that his pedalling efforts raise funds for Palestinian refugee children courtesy of the Hoping Foundation charity.
“I’ve seen various estimates of how far I’ll be cycling but I’m planning on covering about 5,000 miles during the next 4-5 months. I’m doing it to have myself a good time and raise some money for the Hoping Foundation along the way. They work with small voluntary groups in Palestine that transform the lives of young people who have never had a home of their own and are currently living in refugee camps.
I'm trying to find 109 generous people to donate £5, or maybe 74 to fork out £7.37, to help the youngsters in their daily struggles!
Of course, if you can't afford £5, any amount at all will be very much appreciated by me and the young Palestinians, and if you know anyone who lives near the coast please ask if they've got a bit of space for my tent!”
Jamie, a current trustee at the Alternative Technology Centre was also a long-term member of the Ground Floor Project’s management committee and local school governor. He has set up an online fundraising page to support his bike ride here.