Blog Posts – BuDS

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Back in the Saddle – Update 28

June 27, 2022June 27, 2022 Liz Hobbs

I seem to remember in my last post saying something about hopefully finishing my exercise bike challenge (cycling the equivalent of the distance from Lands’ End to John o’Groats) by the 17 month anniversary of when I started. That would have meant I finished on 24th June 2022. As you can see, I haven’t quite achieved that. Once again, life had other plans.

I was doing brilliantly until 2nd June and then I had rather an odd turn which has set my health back quite a bit. So since then the daily distances have been rather reduced again. However, I’m proud to say that despite everything, I still haven’t missed a single day and each small distance I’ve achieved has now helped me to reach the penultimate checkpoint! I am now at Castle Sinclair Giringoe. That means I only have 28.8km to go before I will finally have reached John o’Groats! I’m not going to jinx things by saying when I plan to get there, but I will post and let you all know as soon as I do.

I would once again like to thank everyone for all the support and encouragement you have given me. It has meant so much to me to know that you are all rooting for me.

If you want to find out more about the challenge, click on the button below:

Back in the Saddle back story

I just want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has been encouraging me throughout my challenge. It means so much to me. Thank you too to everyone who has sponsored me so far.

Every little contribution helps BuDS to keep supporting the disabled people of Buckinghamshire and beyond.

If you fancy sponsoring me, click on this button:

Peoples Fundraising Page

Why Flexible Working Is Crucial For Disabled Employees

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 Ben Clark

Written by Janneke Elford, BuDS HR & Projects Manager

Due to the pandemic, a new era of remote working has provided greater chances for disabled workers, many of whom had previously been wrongly excluded from the workforce due to a lack of flexibility from employers.

One group in particular has been diligently advocating for flexible work: disabled and chronically ill people, who are frequently forced out of many jobs due to their employer’s inflexibility. Covid-19, on the other hand, has compelled many employers to try remote working, and they’ve discovered that it works.

Back in the Saddle – 2014 Anniversary

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 Ben Clark

I was just looking through some old photos when I realised that it is 8 years since Cary and I completed the first Back in the Saddle sponsored bike ride challenge in aid of BuDS.

We took on the challenge to fill in a part of the Coast2Coast (C2C) cycle route from Whitehaven to Tynemouth which we had missed out the year before due to Cary having a cycling accident. It was always going to be a challenge to go back to the accident site, get on our bikes and cycle the section we missed, but it was also one of the wettest, coldest May days that either of us can remember. That made the challenge all the harder.

However, we achieved our goal, completed the challenge, and raised funds for BuDS at the same time.

Life has changed quite a bit for both of us since we did that ride. Disabilities mean that I don’t think either of us could manage it now. However, that determination to achieve goals is still strong within both of us.

Back in the Saddle – Update 27

May 30, 2022June 27, 2022 Liz Hobbs

Well, who would believe it, I’ve made it to another checkpoint on my exercise bike virtual challenge! I’ve now reached Dunrobin Castle and with only 116km left to go, the end is in definitely in sight. You never know, but I might actually reach John o’Groats by the 17 month anniversary of when I first started this ridiculously mad-cap challenge 🙂

Mental Health Awareness Week: Janneke’s Testimony

May 12, 2022May 31, 2022 Ben Clark

Our HR & Project Manager, Janneke has written a powerful piece for us this Mental Health Awareness Week, which we have published below with her permission.

Back in the Saddle – Update 26

May 5, 2022May 30, 2022 Liz Hobbs

It’s taken me a while, but I have now reached Loch Ness! Only 251km left of my mammoth exercise bike challenge, covering the virtual route from Land’s End to John o’Groats. Even better is that I’m now actually very slightly ahead of schedule to get to the finish before the new end date I set back in January.

Moving Ahead With The Attitudes And Hate Crime Project

May 3, 2022May 3, 2022 Ben Clark

Sumayya, the Attitudes and Hate Crime project co-ordinator, has written a blog post about how the Attitudes and Hate Crime project is progressing as it nears operation.

Disabled People on Transgender Day of Visibility 2022

March 31, 2022March 30, 2022 Cary Hobbs

BuDS is marking Transgender Day of Visibility 31st March 2022. Disabled_Eliza, Kay Ulanday Barrett, Aaron Philip, Bobbie Lea Bennet, Marsha P. Johnson.

Transgender Day of Visibility 2022

One of our volunteers has written about five disabled transgender and non-binary people for this year’s Transgender Day of Visibility.

They talk about what it’s like trying to find role models as a non-binary and disabled person, especially on days like this.

Back in the Saddle – Update 25

March 24, 2022April 13, 2022 Liz Hobbs

Today I have managed to reach Edinburgh Castle on my exercise bike challenge – pedalling the equivalent distance of the route from Land’s End to John o’Groats. I’m nearly 3/4 of the way through too, and it feels like I might actually be able to achieve this goal. I never envisaged, when I started on 24 January 2021, that I would still be slowly pedalling away as we approach April 2022! However, I am still going, that blue ‘distance completed’ line is gradually getting longer and I will get there eventually. Every turn of the pedals gets me a tiny bit closer to the finish.

Back in the Saddle – Update 24

March 1, 2022April 13, 2022 Liz Hobbs

I am really getting there – I’ve now achieved 2 pretty monumental targets on my virtual exercise bike challenge, pedalling the equivalent distance of the route from Land’s End to John o’Groats. I am 2/3 of the way through the journey AND I’ve reached the England / Scotland border!