Lisa took on the BRUM 200 Audax to raise funds for ecobirmingham. This is a challenging (and very hilly!) 200km cycle around the outskirts of Birmingham. She completed this fundraising challenge as part of our Big Give – Green Match Fund campaign, helping us to raise £3,352. All proceeds went towards providing better access to walking and cycling across Birmingham!
We caught up with Lisa (now our Active Travel Project Coordinator) to hear all about it and why she decided to take on this fundraising challenge.
Why did you choose to support ecobirmingham?
Having attended lots of cycling sessions at ecobirmingham personally, from bike maintenance sessions to led rides, I know how valuable the sessions are. ecobirmingham helped me in the beginning of my cycling journey to feel more confident, find bike friendly routes locally, and were a big part of helping me transition into choosing cycling for everyday travel, from commuting, visiting friends and to be able to get outside more often, exploring further by bike and appreciating the beautiful city we live. I wanted to be able say thank you and give something back so that others can benefit from the services and resources that ecobirmingham provides, just like I did.
What did you hope to achieve through this challenge?
By taking on this huge cycling challenge I wanted to help raise funds for ecobirmingham to create their 69wards walking and cycling maps and provide led rides, I feel that route finding is a huge barrier to people who want to walk and cycle, the maps are a really important resource. The led rides I took part in were vital in improving my knowledge of traffic free routes, as well as improving my confidence to start exploring Birmingham by bike. It changed my life!
I hope by doing this fundraiser I helped inspire others to give cycling a try. It’s good to know that the money raised will enable ecobirmingham to provide valuable resources and outdoor activities to communities across Birmingham, enabling people to see the city differently.
How was the challenge, any highlights?
This was my longest, most challenging ride to date. A whooping 200km with over 6000ft of climbing in one day. Setting off at 5am, this was a tough 15hours in the saddle. It was brutal riding up to St Kenelm’s pass (Clent) so close to the end, my legs hated me, but it was a beautiful route. I got to see places and scenery that I would never have seen if I’d not done this challenge. It was a great experience.
Would you recommend others to take on a fundraising challenge?
I would definitely encourage anyone to support a charity by doing a fundraising challenge like this. Whether it’s a bike ride or something else like a walk or swim. Challenging yourself for a good cause is so rewarding. I pushed myself to my limits on that ride and I was absolutely battered by the end, but it was all worthwhile to help raise money to enable more people to discover the joy of riding bikes.
It made me realise I am capable of much more than I ever thought I was. The sense of achievement after completing my fundraising challenge was amazing and left me wanting to do more.
Check out Lisa’s fundraising ride and route on Komoot HERE. If you are looking for some bike friendly routes in Birmingham, check out our 69wards walking and cycling routes.
A big thank you to Lisa and all our supporters who help us raise funds to be able to deliver our projects across the city. Together we can make Birmingham a greener and healthier place to live. Red our latest Impact Report to find out more about our work.
There are many ways you can support us as an individual, group or organisation. Check out all the ways you can get involved. Feel free to get intouch if you have any questions or there’s something you would like to discuss, we would be happy to have a chat.