Jubilee Cyclists

Once again a group of cyclists are campaigning on bicycles for debt cancellation. They have been training hard for the two rides taking place in June..

The first ride involves 16 intrepid cyclists visiting Kenya and Tanzania for 2 weeks in early June. In Nairobi the cyclists are excited about meeting the Nairobi Jubilee debt group, with whom the Edinburgh local group have been linked for the past few years. They will also be visiting several projects (run by Christian Aid, CAFOD and VetAid), to see the benefits of debt cancellation and aid. Tanzania in particular has benefited from debt relief, with all primary aged children now able to attend school free. They are looking forward to meeting those involved in the projects, and learning first hand the issues facing those in these countries. In Dar es Salaam they are delighted that President Mkapa will receive them, and hope to bring a message back from him and others they meet, to the G8 leaders meeting in Gleneagles.

Of course, they will also be cycling, covering about 400km on their way south, and having some time to visit the Ngorongoro Crater. We hope to be able to update this page with pictures from their ride....

On their return, after a short rest (!) and re-grouping, 20 cyclists (some of whom have been in Africa) will be riding the 450 miles from the Houses of Parliament to Edinburgh, arriving into the city in time for the Make Poverty History rally on 2nd July.

They will be leaving London on Friday 24th June, and riding up the east coast, through Cambridge, Grantham, Lincoln, Elsham, Beverley, York, Easingwold, Ripon, Darlington, Sedgefield, Gateshead, Newcastle, Hexham, Galashiels, Peebles, and arriving into Edinburgh on Friday 1st July.

They will be joined by dozens of other cyclists in Peebles, some of whom have ridden from other parts of the UK. On the ride the cyclists will be wearing their MPH cycle shirts, and flying pennants off the back of the bikes - they make quite a sight, and hope to raise awareness and support for the campaign. They will also be telling stories from their recent visit to Africa.

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Jubilee Cyclists Return From Africa with Messages of Hope

Jubilee Cyclist Margaret Hanson Reports back from Tanzania where the cyclists passed through visiting projects that have been affected by debt.........

Greetings from Tanzania!!
We're having an amazing time here - it has been such a privilege and inspiring experience - we've lots of stories to tell which will keep us encouraged to campaign for years to come.
We've visited 4 projects so far and are heading to Dar today for our final couple of days. The projects have been amazing - the need is huge and on many fronts - the people we've visited who are working in these areas are working very much at the grass routes, with simple initiatives that have been identified by the local communities as required, and that are sustainable, such as learning how to make fruit juices rather than being lured into buying the ubiquitous cokecola. Also some simple goat and chicken keeping initiatives with single mothers who are HIV + so they can support their families (they are usually thrown out of their husband's home after he dies).

Yesterday we spent at an orphanage with children who had either been rejected by their families due to a disability (rickets due to naturally ocurring fluoridisation of the water, Downs Syndrome, deafness etc), or who were Aids orphans. It was a sobering and yet inspiring in terms of what this project is doing.

The cycling has been great - we've covered 230miles - quite a few up and downs, and a bit of off roading too. The scenery has been amazing, and people have been surprised and amused to see us. They can understand why we are campaigning, but not why we are cycling!! We had no injuries or accidents, but we had more punctures than we could count. Kevlar tyres are the way forwards!

Reports on the trip from Kenya to Tanzania and from London to Edinburgh

If you want more details of these rides, please contact jubileecycle2005@fsmail.net

 

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