Dear Igor Ozerin 

I hope all is well.  

Later this year, I have signed up to ride Le Loop.  This is a cycling event that follows the entire 21 day route of the Tour de France, which has been described as “the toughest endurance race on earth”!  Fortunately, I will only be cycling the first two stages: Stage 1, which is officially described as ‘hilly’, is 156km long and starts and ends in Nice.  Stage 2, a mountain stage, is 187km!  

I will be cycling for an average of 10 hours a day and will reportedly burn 18,000 calories during my two days of cycling.  This is equivalent to eating 20 packets of hobnobs! 

The event is held each year to raise money for the William Wates Memorial Trust, a grants-giving charity (set up in 1998 in memory of Will by his family after he was tragically killed while on his gap year).  The Trust is run by Will’s parents and brothers and aims to support disadvantaged young people through the mediums of art, sport and education to keep them away from a life of crime and violence.  These are young people whose lives can be changed – but funding for the sorts of projects which can do this is desperately lacking.  Some of their stories can be found here: https://rideleloop.org/fundraising/charity-case-studies 

I would love it if you would sponsor me and I hope you agree that the challenge (and pain) is worthy of your donations to this extremely worthwhile cause.  The charity has no paid staff and I have paid all the costs for participating myself. 

Here is a link to my Virgin Money Giving fundraising page: 

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarkJeynes 

Donating is simple, quick and secure. Please remember to tick the gift aid box if you are a UK tax payer. 

Thank you very much in advance.  By sponsoring me and donating to the William Wates Memorial Trust you are seriously changing lives. 

Kind regards.

Mark