Belmont Heads North

Lands End to John O’Groats: a boy’s dream

Laurence's Story

I love cycling and riding from Lands’ End to John O’Groats will be the fulfilment of a lifetime’s dream that started when I got my first ever bike, aged 12.

From my earliest memory, I had always wanted a bike and spent every Christmas scouring the back pages of my mum’s catalogue, choosing my favourite bike. However having 3 brothers and sisters and limited funds meant that a new bike always remained a dream. Until one day, walking back from school, I saw a bike in the junk shop at the top of our road for sale at £7. An excited sprint home and back to the shop with a £1 note deposit meant the bike was mine. The bike was bought and my lifelong love of cycling began. Soon I learned of the incredible challenge of cycling from one end of our island to the other and the seed was sown – I was determined that I would cycle it one day. 40 years later, my dream will become a reality and so here we are – my entry has been made, transport has been booked and we’re all set to go.

The Challenge

Dave and I are two of a team of 5 friends cycling the Deloitte Ride Across Britain. The ride takes takes 9 days and, at an average of 110 miles per day, is just shy of 1000 miles long. Training began back in February and has included losing 10kgs in weight and cycling over 4000kms so far and we will have a busy summer on the bike as the event looms. We will be completing the ride with 600 other riders and at the end of each day, rather than a comfy hotel room, we will be sleeping in tents!

Who am I raising money for?

Belmont Families is a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and charity representing Belmont Infant School and Belmont Junior School, of which I have been Headteacher for 6 years. During the past 18 months, the charity has worked tirelessly to raise money through the pandemic despite school closures and restrictions on their usual face to face events and desperately need a fundraising boost.

Located in the inner-London borough of Haringey where 4 in 10 children in the borough live in households in poverty, Belmont Families PTA purpose is to advance the education of all pupils by contributing to school enrichment activities; ensuring an equal experience for all, including disadvantaged children and to celebratethe diversity within the school community to create a friendly, inclusive environment for children to learn and thrive.

Belmont Infants and Belmont Juniors are partnered with The Vale Special School, which allows full-time mainstream inclusion for children with physical disabilities. This unique partnership creates two caring schools where all children gain an understanding and awareness of others.

By sponsoring usyou could contribute to the fulfilment of a Belmont pupil’s dream in the future.