Mads training in his boiler suit offshore Australia

As you can see from earlier blogs and updates, training has officially started for HOPE’s annual bike challenge. This year Tanya will be joining Jo, Thomas, Samnieng, Dayvy, Jay, Vanarith, Ida, Karla, Marli, Natasha and many of the Young Adults and educators from Sangkheum Center for Children, Anjali House and Salariian Kampuchea in the annual Angkor Bike Rally.  HOPE entered the Sangkheum young adults into this last year and they got so much out of it we have agreed to do it again – and this time with even more recruits. At the time of writing, we have over 50 participants in Siem Reap and a growing number elsewhere too!

This is the kids own way of helping us to help themselves, and if you would like to encourage them further please visit the Just Giving page – Harnessing Oddlesofdosh through Pedalling and Exhaustion.

The regular training sessions from outside Soria Moria Boutique Hotel are going well with various routes trough some beautiful Cambodian countryside. Should you happen to be in Siem Reap and would like to support the young adults in their preparations, please contact the reception at Soria Moria for the latest training schedules as we will have extra cycle guides allowing a number of guests to join the training sessions – absolutely free of charge…!!

Whilst obviously missing out on the great atmosphere and beautiful backdrop of the Angkor temples, some keen supporters have committed to do 30kms on exercise bikes on the day of the event or embrace the great outdoors wherever they may be. Mads will be pedalling on an exercise bike on board FPSO Ningaloo Vision offshore just outside of Australia, another group organised by Jess Connor will be on the Great Ocean Road and, encouraged by a recent visit to Siem Reap, another group of supporters from komplett.no lead by Jan will be pedalling in their training room in Sandefjord, Norway.

We have also received wonderful support from the Adidas shop in Siem Reap who will be providing water bottles, wrist bands, head bands and socks for prizes!

The big day is Saturday, 4th of December and starts at sunrise!

Despite many good friends and loyal supporters in the UK, we have no organised events scheduled on the day there (…yet), so, should you want to put some extra muscle behind your fundraising efforts, join our growing team of global challengers by contacting us !!

Mads in full training

Last Sunday's training group

Sangkheum's Young Adults

One of Salariian Kampuchea's smiling young adults

Cambodian countryside and bright orange dust roads (HOPE's colours)

Painting at Anjali House - Adidas are a main supporter

This is very exciting – exactly the kind of project we want HOPE funds to support. Local projects already set up but short of funding which are aimed at providing development skills, giving the young adults a better chance for the future. We shall update you with photos during after the course.

We have also just enrolled Ton Pin in his second year at university studying tourism and having recently passed his 3rd level at English school we have sponsored him for the next level at ACE school.  His sister has also just started junior high school and to save her a long walk to school, and inspired by Tanya’s bike ride we bought her bike to help her along her way.

• To sponsor two places on the Permaculture course costs approx. £150.00
• A full year at university costs approx. £180.00
• A bike costs approx. £25.00 bought locally at Psar Leu (Upper Market)