Dear friends and family,

I am participating in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey in July 2018, where I will be racing 100 miles (160km) through London and Surrey - the route includes some testing hills as well as being challenging in length. I had hung up the bike since moving to Hong Kong almost 5 years ago, so hopping onto a bike and training properly for 160km will certainly not be a walk in the park. I have already started training towards the ride and will share some of my training pics as I go along.

I am doing this to raise funds for Save the Children and Prudential’s innovative early learning programme in Cambodia and Philippines, supported by Prudence Foundation. With the programme we:

• Train parents and caregivers in Cambodia and Philippines on the best techniques for engaging with their children

• Give children the books, skills and knowledge they need to have a chance at a better future

• Influence local and national authorities in Cambodia and Philippines to continue to invest in Early Learning

During my years in Asia I have traveled extensively and have visited local communities and extended my help wherever I can; but so much more can be and should be done and I firmly believe in what Save the Children and Prudence Foundation are doing in the area. 

More details can be found below and on their website:

Background:

Every child has the right to reach their full potential. But in Cambodia and the Philippines some of the most deprived children are denied just that. Why? Because the early years of children lives are simply not getting the attention and investment they so desperately need. We know a child’s early years are fundamental in determining their future life chances. Science tells us that the experiences, learning and development that happens very early on in children’s lives set up their brains for being able to learn in school and throughout life. In Cambodia and the Philippines, less than a third of children have access to early childhood care and development services, with disastrous results for their education. Many children do not complete primary education and some leave school unable to read at all.

Programme’s Objectives:

• To ensure that pre-school children in the Philippines and Cambodia get the best start in life and help them stay in school to achieve their full potential

• Parents and caregivers are children’s first and best teachers. First Read empowers parents and caregivers to help young children develop essential literacy and numeracy skills as well as train them on child health, nutrition and social and emotional development. Together we will be able help over 216,000 children directly and indirectly.

Summary of the programme:

• To accelerate child development by:o Developing exciting and engaging age appropriate children’s books in local languageso Donating these books to families so they can read to their young childreno Training parents to incorporate talking, signing, counting and reading into everyday life with children

Web link

https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/about-us/who-we-work-with/corporate-partners/prudence-foundation