Stephen will Ride the Rift across Kenya to raise funds
LOCAL hero Stephen Thompson, 35, from Ormskirk, is about to embark on a 300km eight-day charity cycling challenge across Kenya.
The mature student will join a group of cycling trailblazers to take part in the first ever organised group ride from Nairobi to Lake Magadi and then into the Great Rift Valley and through the wildliferich Masai Mara.
The team will be led be retired Sevenoaks businessman and Charity Links Founder John Douglas, 70, who will be joined by retired teacher John Cox, 65, and former finance executives Caroline Every, 60, and her husband James, 60.
Also taking on the challenge are Andrew Long (paediatrician), 60, Jean-Pierre Darque, 70, a retired banker and Tony Bulleid, 65, a retired business consultant.
They will also be joined by actor and stuntman Kiran Shah aka Little Kiran – the world’s shortest professional stuntman.
Nairobi-born Kiran is best-known for his roles in Star Wars, Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and many more blockbusters.
The riders will set off next Thursday (October 31) and travel through the Masai Mara, home to dramatic landscapes which are inhabited by zebras, wildebeest, lions and more.
The group will be accompanied by a support team of local guides, cooks and drivers throughout the trip.
Each participant is asked to raise a minimum of £2,000 for their selected charities.
All Ride the Rift riders are raising money for small educational charities chosen by Charity Links; MSAADA, Build Africa, SKET, A Partner in Education and Education East Africa.
Stephen Thompson said: “As our departure date gets closer, I am getting so excited about this epic journey.
“I can’t wait to take on the challenge and it will be an honour to meet people from the amazing organisations we are fundraising for.”
Kiran Shah said: “It means so much to be able to support these small charities which make such a big difference in Kenya, a place that means so much to me.
“While the ride will be challenging, it’s wonderful to know that we’ll be able to give something back to those who need it most, both in my native Kenya and in the UK, my adopted home.”
John Douglas, founder of Charity Links, which is organising Ride the Rift, said: “We’re so close to reaching our target as we get closer to the ride and we really hope people will continue to dig deep and donate anything they can to help a range of hugely important causes.
“I know that this is going to be the adventure of a lifetime and that whatever money we raise will make hugely valuable changes to the lives of young people at home and in Kenya.”
Charity Links is a UK registered charity that supports small education and health charities in Africa and the UK.
In putting together a team of cyclists to take on Ride East Africa, Charity Links has chosen to support MSAADA, Build Africa, SKET and A Partner in Education.
Participants can choose which charity, or charities, they would like to fundraise for.
To make a donation to the challenge, go online and visit uk.virginmoneygiving. com/ charity-web/charity/displayCharityCampaignPage.action?charity