Too many people living in London in rapidly growing, changing and ageing boroughs find themselves isolated from others and unable to enjoy the place in which they live.
Love Kingston helps organisations tackle local poverty and isolation effectively without the costs and waste involved in huge, remote bureaucracies.
From helping local people access fair and affordable loans, savings accounts and prepaid cards by way of the Boom Credit Union; to supporting young people with autism and their families through Express CIC; to providing much-needed lunch and a space for socialising and entertainment for the over 60s via The Vintage Banquet, Love Kingston makes a difference everyday.
I'm lucky that I don't (yet) need to access these and other services, but I do believe strongly in local people acting together to meet needs on their doorstep and helping them to do so.
That why I'm riding the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey100, a closed-roads 100 mile cycle `sportif` routed though much of the 2012 London Olympics cycle course.
Passing through Kingston on both the outward and return legs, it encompasses some of the toughest climbs in the South of England. The course starts at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford and ends on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace on Sunday 29th July. On the way it passes through Kingston on both the outward and return legs and encompasses some of the toughest climbs in the South of England.
I'm hoping to do it inside 7 hours which, as am turning 60 years old as write this, will be a challenge for which I'm training hard on the `Dark Destroyer` (pictured).
So, please can you support my blood, sweat and, gritted teeth to help people having tougher lives than ours by donating what you can?
Thank you very much!
