London / Calais to Champagne Bike Ride. Information Document

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1 London / Calais to Champagne Bike Ride 4 th 8 th July 2012 Information Document The Ride To celebrate the St. James s Place Foundation s 20 th anniversary we are planning on making this year s Laureus SJP Bike ride the biggest and best yet. What better way than cycling from the host city of the 2012 Games to the heart of the Champagne region, Reims. To provide more variety for riders we have expanded to offer two start points: Bexley, 4 th July 4 days cycling (approx 317 miles) Calais on 5 th July 3 days cycling (approx 250 miles) 3 rd July For those wanting to start riding on the 4 th July, there is an option of staying at the hotel located at the start of the ride, the Holiday Inn, Bexley, to avoid an early start on the 4 th. 4 th July Bexley Dover ferry Calais 67 miles / 108 km We meet at 8am (exact time TBC) on Wednesday 4 th July at the Holiday inn, Bexley, for our pre event briefing, before setting off on our first days riding. By starting on the outskirts of London we hope to avoid the worst of the London traffic, and should soon be in rolling countryside on our way to Dover. For those not cycling on the first day, you will meet at the start point mid afternoon (exact time TBC) on the 4 th, where a coach will be available to transfer you and your bicycle down to Dover. Everyone will meet up in Dover to get the evening ferry to Calais. Upon arrival in Calais it will be a short transfer to our hotel for the night. 5 th July Calais Arras 75 miles / 120 km We will awake on the 5 th July in Calais, fresh and ready to tackle the beautiful, undulating French countryside and our first day riding with all the group together. Within 2km we are into the pretty Nord Pas de Calais countryside. It is a picturesque area of green meadows, rolling hills and dense forests. The ride will start off fairly flat, but as we continue we will peddle through beautiful rural landscapes and quiet back roads. The ride gets more undulating as the day continues until we reach Arras.

2 6 th July Arras Compiègne 75 miles / 120km We leave Arras to travel to the forested region around the attractive town of Compiègne and the Picardie countryside. En route we encounter long sweeping hills and green pastures. It is a very peaceful, laid back area where its people lead simple lives uncomplicated by the modern World. En route we pass through a succession of villages and medieval churches and the roads are quiet and lead us away from large towns. We ride through the Forest of Compiègne, an ancient hunting ground of French kings and a favourite haunt of Napolean. This forest which once covered Northern Europe is one of the last remnants of the Primeval forests. We will then arrive at our overnight stop at Compiègne. 7 th July Compiègne Reims 100 miles / 160km Today is our last days riding. We cycle over small country roads to Soissons and cross the river Vesle towards the town of Chassemy. As we ascend uphill, we are greeted with wonderful views over the countryside. After a long descent the road again meets the river Aisne and we continue through forests and fields. At Concevreux we once again head uphill towards a plateau with spectacular views followed by an exhilarating downhill. At this point we reach the famous Champagne growing region the ultimate goal of the ride. At the village of Jonchery we will rest to have a well deserved lunch. Later the route continues undulating along the limestone hills covered with vineyards and forests. At Geux we cycle over what used to be a famous racing track with the stands still on both sides of the road. Towards Reims the road becomes flatter and we enter the city along the banks of a canal. A broad avenue leads to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral where 25 kings were crowned. After a short break we continue and finish the ride at the Pommery Champagne House, where we will have a glass of bubbly to celebrate our magnificent efforts. 8 th July Day to explore and travel home Today you will have a free morning to explore Champagne! There is the possibility of visiting a Champagne house. Please indicate on the registration form whether you would be interested in this option. There will be a coach around midday (exact time TBC) to take everyone from the hotel to the Eurostar terminal at Gare du Nord, Paris. From here we will take a train that will stop at Ebbsfleet, before continuing onto St Pancras, London. Your bike can either be transported to the Holiday inn, Bexley or St Pancras Station.

3 Ebbsfleet is a 20 min cab ride from the Holiday Inn, Bexley. If you decide not to come back with the group your bike can be stored at St Pancras, however please note that there is a limit of 7 bikes allowed and there will be a small additional cost of this (exact prices TBC but 2011 prices were 3 a day), which you will be responsible for. Alternatively, your bike can be taken to Bexley, but there are no bike storage facilities there and so you will need someone to come and collect the bike for you. If neither of these options work for you, you can, of course, make your own arrangements to bring your bike home. Please note that if you do decide not to come back with the group, you will be responsible for covering any additional costs incurred, but we are able to reimburse you 25 off the cost of the trip. Please note that distances above are estimates. Exact distances are TBC, but the overall distance for the ride is accurate.

4 Costs We are asking you to contribute 350 towards the cost of the trip which is nonrefundable. The final deadline for sign-ups is 24 th April 2012, however spaces are limited and will be allocated in order of those returning their registration fee. Please send cheques (with your name written out in full on the back), made payable to Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, to Rebecca Malcolm, 460 Fulham Road, London, SW6 1BZ, or contact Rebecca for details of other payment methods. What is Included? Hotels on the evenings of 4,5,6 and 7 July Transfer from Holiday Inn, Bexley to Dover for those not cycling on day one Ferry from Dover-Calais Eurostar ticket Paris London St Pancras (via Ebbsfleet) Transfer from Reims to Paris Classic Tours tour leader UK volunteer doctor (experienced in group charity cycle rides) Support vehicles Mechanic Food : from dinner on Day 1 on the ferry crossing to breakfast on the final departure day in Reims Snacks and water on the cycle days every 20km Glass of Champagne and celebration meal at the end of the ride Sign-posted itinerary Map of each cycle day UK based member of staff on call in case of emergency What isn t Included? Insurance: cycle and travel Bike and other cycling equipment Soft and alcoholic drinks with meals (other than a glass of champagne at the end of the ride) Hotel Accommodation on the night of the 3 rd July (if you decide to book this) Car Parking at the Holiday Inn, Bexley Lunch on 4 th July for those not cycling Lunch on 8 th July Transport to and from the start and finish points of the ride

5 Fundraising Where Your Money Goes By taking part, each participant agrees to raise a minimum of 1,000 in sponsorship (excluding Gift Aid). This sponsorship will be matched by St. James s Place Wealth Management and will be donated, in partnership with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, to the successful Urban Stars Sports Programme and also the other charities supported by the Foundations. Urban Stars is an inner city multi-sports programme delivered by the Active Communities Network, which uses sports and educational activities to help tackle youth crime and gang violence in inner city areas. They offer kids a fun, safe place to go and help them develop a path that will keep them out of the gangs and back into education, employment, or training. For more information please visit How to get your money to us The St. James s Place Foundation is registered with Virgin Money Giving This works in much the same way as Just Giving. The London to Champagne Bike Ride is listed as a specific event under which participants can set up their own fundraising page. To set up your own personal fundraising page on Virgin Money Giving please follow the steps below: 1) Visit 2) Insert St James s Place (without full stop after St) into Find a Charity search box; 3) Click on St. James s Place Foundation ; 4) Once on the St. James s Place Foundation Homepage, click on Events (left handside); 5) Click the information icon under Find out More for the London to Champagne Bike Ride; 6) Choose the option Start Fundraising ; 7) You will then be asked for details on the target amount you plan to raise (a minimum of 1,000 for this event) as well as whether or not your charity are contributing to the cost to the event which you should enter No ; 8) You will then be asked to Register if you haven t already or alternatively if you have used the site before select Sign In ; 9) Follow virginmoneygiving.com instructions to set up your page (ensuring you complete the full process). Please ensure that your sponsorship reaches the St. James s Place Foundation by 1 st October 2012.

6 FAQs I m nervous about raising the minimum sponsorship requirement. How will I be able to raise that amount? Please read tips on raising sponsorship money. There are many different ways of raising money, through your friends and family, organising a fundraising event or asking companies and businesses to support you, and don t forget that we are here to help. If you are unsure about anything or thinking about organising an event please contact Rebecca Malcolm Rebecca.Malcolm@laureus.com on and we will help you any way we possibly can. The best way to receive sponsorship is to set up an online fundraising page with Virgin Money Giving ( For more information on how to set up your page, please see the Fundraising Section. What happens if I can t raise the sponsorship money? We do request that the set amount of sponsorship money is raised and that you agree to cover the shortfall yourself if you are not able to raise it all in sponsorship. However, we are here to help and have a wealth of fundraising advice and ways in which we can assist you, so if you do experience unexpected difficulties, please get in touch. What happens if I have to pull out before the ride? The initial 350 registration fee is unfortunately non refundable. If, for some reason, you do have to pull out before 25 th April 2012, then we will try to find a replacement for you, as we are able to change the name on the booking until this point. If, however you have to pull out after this date, then we are not able to change the name on the booking. To minimise the loss of funds to the charity we ask that you pay an additional 350 to help cover the cost of your place. If you have taken out insurance then you should be covered for this cost and will not have to meet it out of your own pocket. What kind of support is there? There will be full medical and mechanical support and English speaking tour leaders. There will also be support vehicles for participants to ride in, in case, for any reason they are unable to continue. Representatives of both charities will also be cycling alongside you. 250 miles seems a long way to ride. How can I make sure I am fit enough? You do not have to be super fit to take part: as there are no assigned groups you can go at a pace to suit you. However, we do need to make sure that everyone makes it to particular checkpoints at particular times. If you are unable to make these checkpoints in time then there will be support vehicles to ensure you do not fall too far behind. However there will be a strict limit as to how many people the vehicles can take so we therefore strongly recommend that you train; cycling regularly on different terrain on consecutive days with some long distances in the weeks leading up to departure. For more detailed information and advice, please see the Training Guide.

7 If you are over 65 years of age or suffer from a medical condition that is affected by exercise you must obtain a medical certificate before signing up. If you are at all unsure as to whether you are physically capable of completing the challenge, then we strongly urge you to speak to your medical practitioner before commencing any training programme. What happens if something goes wrong on the ride? There will be a medic on the trip. Please ensure that you have an EHIC Card ( as this will enable you to access free or reduced cost medical treatment in France, and appropriate insurance. Please see the insurance section in the registration document for details on the appropriate level of insurance cover What does the Cycle Challenge include? Please see above for what is and isn t included in the trip cost What do I need to provide? When you register to take part in the ride we request a non-refundable fee of 350. You will need to provide your own road worthy bike (including a helmet) and personal travel insurance. Can I stay on in France and make my own way home? Yes. However, you will be liable for arranging your own transport home from the hotel. There are spots for 7 bikes to be stored in Kings Cross for a charge (2012 rates have not yet been confirmed, but the rates in 2011 were 3 per day). Alternatively, you can arrange for a friend to collect the bike for you from Ebbsfleet. If you arrange your own transport home there will be a 25 reduction in your trip cost. Please let us know on the registration form if you would like to do this. What is the average age? It is impossible to give an average age. The minimum age to take part is 18, but there will be people of all ages. If you are over 65 years you will need to provide us with a medical certificate from your doctor. Where will we stay? You will be staying in hotels on a half board basis. Rooms will be doubles or triples with en-suite facilities. What Will The Weather Be Like? As we will be going in the summer, there is a good chance that the days will be warm and dry with little wind. However, early morning starts and the evening ferry can be cold, so be sure to bring some additional layers for this (see kit list for more details on what to bring). This being England, there is, of course, a chance of rain - on Day 1 at least! Will I have to carry my kit? No, all luggage will be carried in the support vehicles. However small bike bags are useful for carrying small items with you.

8 What documentation will I need? You will be required to have a valid Passport with 6 months left to run after the end of the trip and travel insurance documents. You are also highly recommended to bring an EHIC card. Do I need specialist kit? We will supply you with a list of what you will need to take, recommending the type of kit that you will require. One of the essential items that you must provide for bike rides is a cycling helmet and wear it at all times when cycling. Do I need insurance? Each individual must arrange for adequate insurance cover. Insurance details are needed in order to register for your place on the trip. You may organise this Insurance personally, or alternatively it may be arranged through Classic Tours. The exact cost of this for 2012 is still to be confirmed, but will be approximately 23. If you take out Classic Tours Insurance you must bring and wear a cycle helmet at all times when cycling to fulfil insurance requirements. I would like to take part. How do I sign up? To take part in the Bike Ride please read this information document carefully, complete the attached registration form and send it, together with your registration fee made payable to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation to: Rebecca Malcolm, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, 460 Fulham Road, London SW6 1BZ If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Rebecca Malcolm Rebecca.Malcolm@laureus.com

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