London to Amsterdam Bike Ride for TransformUK

Between 13th and 15th June, Mike Hodgson, Mike Bournes, Chris Hamilton and Brian Browne will be cycling from the Euronext London office to the Amsterdam office. The route takes in nearly 200 miles of cycling in total, as well as an overnight ferry crossing and an evening exploring the cultural hotspots of Amsterdam.

The aim of the trip is to raise money for TransformUK, Euronext London's charity partner. TransformUK was started in 2016 out of the Shoreditch Tabernacle Church, and for the last six years have been providing programmes and services to support vulnerable people in East London, focusing on young people, families, women and girls. They have provided high social value help to more than 500 people who have experienced abuse, homelessness and exclusion. Their services have included intense support programmes for at risk young people as well as food & warm space provision for homeless people and asylum seekers.

Specifically, the money raised by the ride will go towards TransformUK’s newest project, as it aims to strengthen its social impact by opening its first children’s home in the autumn of 2023. There is a severe shortage of care accommodation for children, particularly in London. Demand is particularly high in the case of girls experiencing or at risk of exploitation, the group for which TransformUK is developing this provision. Transform’s children’s home will be for four girls aged between 11 and 15 years old who have struggled to succeed in larger multi-occupancy homes and require a single occupancy home or dual placement to ensure their needs are met. The home will meet the needs of girls who require a loving, therapeutic environment with firm boundaries. It will be trauma-informed in its approach, ensuring that this is not just a place to stay but a place for them to feel safe and to re-discover their identity in the context of adults who love and care for them. The model will include a staffing structure which replicates that of ‘extended family’ as well as the fundamentals of a healthy and thriving family home.

It's a fabulous cause so please dig deep and lend your support.

Many thanks

Mike, Chris, Brian and Mike.