TOOL KIT
Dear Rider Thank you for signing up to Ride Around London and taking the first step to making a real difference for kids in your local community. Access Sport organises Ride Around London to help them raise money and awareness for their crucial work supporting sports like cycling in some of the poorest parts of the country. They transform lives using the power of sport, and with your help more kids can get a better start in life. You might take part in sportives all the time, or this might be the first time you’ve taken on a challenge like this. Either way, this is your chance to help kids in the communities that need it most, helping to create a real and lasting sporting legacy. This pack offers great tools to help get you started. Included are key fundraising tips and professional training advice. I hope you have fun with your fundraising and training and look forward to seeing you on the day!
Rebecca Romero
2012
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ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
ABOUT US
At Access Sport we really feel that sport has the power to change lives, and by fundraising for us you can help change lives too. With youth unemployment at a record high and government cuts affecting youth and community clubs, our work is more important than ever.
YOUR SPONSORSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE
helps one child become a member of a club £50 provides team kit for two young people £200 buys one bike and a helmet £250 helps us create one more coach £2,000 helps us support one club for a whole year £10
BMX is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK and it’s a great way to engage young people in inner city areas, tackling social exclusion, obesity and inactivity. Our BMX Legacy Project created five new tracks and five new clubs in the Olympic host Boroughs of East London, in response to a lack of local facilities. In 2011 our riders raised an amazing £25,000. This has helped us to ensure that the new BMX clubs create a lasting legacy by training new coaches, delivering outreach at local schools and paying for new equipment. “Access Sport has done so much for BMX in East London and I am grateful to everyone who raised money last year, helping the clubs grow and become sustainable for the future.” Simon Hall, Chairman ELBO BMX Club
If everyone taking part in Ride Around London raises £100, Access Sport could support 50 new clubs and help thousands of kids get into sport
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
GET THE WHEELS IN MOTION! Within this section we will be offering you practical fundraising advice and encouraging you to ask yourself some key questions to help you get started.
FUNDRAISING
HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? WHO CAN I ASK? WHAT CAN I DO?
5 MINUTES > Create an online fundraising page > Email friends, family and colleagues and promote on Facebook > Tailor our press release and send to your local paper
A FEW HOURS AFTER WORK > Organise a pub quiz > Invite your friends over for a curry night or wine tasting > Hold a five-a-side charity football tournament
IN YOUR LUNCH HOUR > Use our Tour de France or Olympic sweepstake kits > Set up a bake sale for colleagues > Organise a cycle maintenance workshop
AT THE WEEKEND > Do a collection in your local area with friends > Take your old junk to a car boot sale > Hold a charity car wash
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
FUNDRAISING
WHO CAN I ASK? FRIENDS & FAMILY
NEIGHBOURS
> Ask for unwanted clothing/old sports kit > Can you recruit them to help with a collection? > Will they organise an event for you (ie Pub Quiz, Bake Sale)?
> See if neighbours might help with a local car boot sale > Get them involved with a charity car wash > How else can they help you to spread the word?
COLLEAGUES & CLIENTS
SCHOOL/COMMUNITY
> Get colleagues involved with a Tour de France sweepstake > Hold a bake sale on a Friday lunch time > Direct them to your online fundraising page via email or intranet
> Approach your local school and see if they will organise a dress-down day > Would your child’s school be happy to organise a sports fundraiser for us? CYCLING CLUB
EMPLOYERS > Find out if your organisation offers match funding > Can you feature your online fundraising page within your signature? > Ask to hold a dress-down / dress up day
TOP TIP
Ask your friends and family if they will hold a cake sale at work on your behalf
> Suggest a charity ride with your club > Get your local mechanic to offer a bike maintenance day GYM > Ask your gym if they will hold a charity spinning class for Access Sport > See if you can leave a collection tin at reception
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
FUNDRAISING
WHAT CAN I DO? AT HOME
DOWN THE PUB
> > > > >
> > > >
Film night Olympic party Dinner party Wine tasting Car wash
AT WORK > > > >
Cake sale Dress down / Dress up day Olympic sweepstake Online auction
Quiz night Food tasting Film night X Factor Night
OUT AND ABOUT > > > >
Street collection Supermarket bag pack Dog walking Jumble sale
AT THE GYM > Rowing challenge > Zumba-thon > Spinning Class fundraiser
TOP TIP
If organising a street collection remember to always ask your local council for permission first
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
ONLINE FUNDRAISING
FUNDRAISING
BENEFITS OF CREATING A VIRGIN MONEY GIVING PAGE > Your fundraising will go further as Virgin Money Giving is a not-for-profit > You can update your page with photos and training progress > Increase the value of your online donations with Gift Aid
CREATE YOUR PAGE
PROMOTE YOUR PAGE
> We recommend you create a Virgin Money Giving page which will only take you 5 minutes to do.
> Email friends, family , colleagues and clients
> Visit www.accesssport.org.uk/online for a guide on how to set up your page
PERSONALISE YOUR PAGE > Personalise your message to fundraisers and tell your story > Update your page and add photos > Set an ambitious (but realistic) fundraising target to inspire support
> Post your link on Facebook and create a Group > Shout about your event on Twitter > Do you have a company intranet where you can also promote your page? > Consider starting a blog to track your progress - remember to include the link to your page > Consider creating your own business cards (free via Vistaprint) > Include the link to your fundraising page within your email signature
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
SUPPORT
MERCHANDISE
PLANNING We can help you plan your fundraising or provide you with more ideas and. We’re always here to help, just give us a call on
020 7993 9883 RESOURCES We can give you specific resources to help you plan an event or generate publicity. Visit our website to download our press release template, training plan and much more.
RIDE AROUND LONDON CYCLING JERSEY £37.50 Sizes: XXXS – XXXL
FUNDRAISING MATERIALS We can send you fundraising materials such as: Posters
T-shirts
Leaflets
Caps
Sponsorship forms
Balloons
Collection tins
Headed paper
CONTACT US Access Sport 3 Durham Yard Teesdale Street London E2 6QF T > 0207 7993 9883 E > RideLondon@accesssport.co.uk W > www.accesssport.org.uk
RIDE AROUND LONDON COTTON T-SHIRT £10 Sizes: XXXS – XXXL
RIDE AROUND LONDON CYCLING MITTS £14 Sizes: XXS - XXL
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
TRAINING & PREPARATION
SUPPORT
Co-founder of Ride Around London Andy Cook Cycling, are offering our riders expert training support this year. With 25 years experience in organising cycling events, Andy’s team will also be there to assist on the day. With Andy’s help, we have created a specially designed 12 week training plan. Whatever your cycling experience, there is a plan to suit you. We have also included some top tips within this pack to help prepare you for the big day! To download your Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced Training Plan please visit www.accesssport.org.uk
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
EVENT PREPARATION
YOUR BIKE FIRSTLY
make sure that your bike fits you, don’t try to fit an unsuitable machine. Take advice from a qualified coach or a good bike shop
Practice changing a tyre and inner tube at home in preparation for the ride
Bicycle Typogram by Aaron Kuehn
Correct brake pad alignment will give better and safer braking. The blocks should be slightly towed in at the front, so that the block closes on the rim correctly
Make a habit of quickly checking brakes, tyres, wheels and transmission before every ride
Confirm when you have a comfortable reach to all parts of the handlebars and experience no difficulty in operating gear and brake levers
Check the indexing of your gears. Make sure that the changes are smooth, tweaking the adjusters where necessary
Check your gear ratios. Is the cassette right for your style of riding/riding event? Would a larger sprocket help you climb a little easier?
Carry a spare inner tube, or puncture repair outfit together with the necessary tyre levers and a working pump on all rides, together with a small multi tool
Get used to checking and pumping tyres to the recommended pressure for both efficiency and safety when riding sportives. In wetter weather consider a lower tyre pressure for more grip
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
EQUIPMENT & CLOTHING Learn to dress for the weather. Allow for changes during the day. And always carry at least a lightweight rain jacket. This should also be part of your basic kit. These are available in the lightest materials, so that they can be folded and kept in a pocket or saddle bag.
EVENT PREPARATION
Make a check list for all things you might need. It is worth laminating this and keeping it with your kit bag.
Invest in a good merino wool or synthetic fabric wicking base layer. This garment can make all the difference to your comfort and performance. Good fitting track mitts are a must, as well as cushioning for the hands. Ensure to meticulously clean seat and shorts pad to avoid chances of infection. Application of saddle cream will cut down friction and soreness. Petroleum jelly is often a useful option. Wash and sterilise your drinking bottles after use, particularly after using with energy drinks. It is worth looking for bottles with a cap to cover the spout, to protect it from road grime.
ON THE ROAD Get used to carrying a bottle of fresh drink on all rides. Choose bottles made from soft plastic, as easier to squeeze when riding. If you are going to use energy food/drinks, make sure to test them out at home, and then try them out on your training rides. Once you have decided on the right ones for you, stick to them. Maintain an efficient pedalling action, treating your pedals like a treadle operated machine to create a smooth pedalling action. Keep to our training plan for best results. If you are ill at all, don’t be tempted to miss out sections so as to keep to the dates of the programme.
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK
2012
“Ride Around London is a great celebration of London and the fantastic cycling this city has to offer. Combining hundreds of years of rich sporting history with the exciting new developments created by the 2012 Olympics, this really is one of the best cycle rides in the country. By getting on your bike and taking a tour of the capital, you can also make a massive contribution to sporting legacy by raising money to help Access Sport transform the lives of young people in the communities that need it most.” Boris Johnson “Cycling has grown in popularity so much over the last few years, and what better way to celebrate the sport in 2012 than to get on your bike and take in some of the best cycling London has to offer? Ride Around London is a great way to challenge yourself while raising money for grass-roots sport in the communities that need it most.” Lizzie Armitstead
ACCESSSPORT.ORG.UK