I'm off on a charity bike ride tomorrow: London to Southend for the British Heart Foundation. It's 58 miles (93km) in the broiling sun -- a bit like doing the Tour de France, except compacting it all into just one day (as well as making it slightly shorter and not quite so hilly and maybe, just maybe, a tad slower).
I put out a call amongst friends and colleagues for sponsorship and have so far received:
£5 in cash
promises of about another £20
a pledge of 31p per km
a pledge of one cupcake per km
It strikes me as a bit perverse to donate a bunch of sugary dessert items to the British Heart Foundation but I suppose it's the thought that counts.
You too can sponsor me if you wish. Use the button below to donate via PayPal. I promise to pass on any money raised thereby to the BHF.
Or contact me directly and arrange some other form of payment. This might be a particularly good approach if you are planning to sponsor me with foodstuffs or other non-currency items.
Please note that that the more money (and cupcakes) I get in sponsorship, the less I'll look like a friendless tightwad to the organisers of this event.
I realise that, as always, this plea may seem to come a bit late and to a very tiny audience, but, hey, at least I can fool myself that I tried and sleep better because of it.