One of homelessness charity St Martins team members Alfie McLoughlin took on a solo cycling challenge from Norwich to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and raised over £1000 for St Martins. The 904k route took him from Norwich to Harwich, where he took the ferry to the Hook of Holland and then proceeded East, mainly on cycle paths, into Germany and arrived in Berlin ten days after setting off.
On hearing about Alfie’s venture, several people asked whether he was raising money for charity, so he decided to do it in aid of St Martins. Alfie said, “I needed a focus and it’s an opportunity to do something good.”
Alfie started working for St Martins in November and is a support worker based at Bishopbridge House, the charity’s 33 bed direct-access hostel. Previously he worked in Sheffield with people with head injuries. Alfie hadn’t attempted a challenge like this before, but had prepared well by undertaking some long cycle rides a couple of times a week. He had gathered the supplies and equipment he needed, including a tent, camel back, handlebar rack and a solar panel and battery pack.
Alfie is convinced of the benefits of sport – the fact that it helps you sleep well, eat well and feel good, giving you a boost.
Relatively new to St Martins, what Alfie likes most about his role is the teamwork. He said, “We always pull together as a team. That is a big part of working here. You can’t be a one-man army.”
“It’s rewarding to see people doing well. You can’t always fix things but you can help things get better.”
Alfie completed the ride independently, and was met on the finish line by his girlfriend and his parents. He took things slow and steady and planned the ride towards the end of April to make the most of the light.
You can sponsor Alfie on his Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/page/cycle-to-berlin
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