Hi there everyone!
Hope this email finds you, and more importantly, your legs in good shape after your heroic efforts last week at Nelson’s Tour de Test Valley. Trust you’re all walking a little more normal again now!
CALM and us as event organisers cannot thank you enough for coming to ride our event. Not just because it raises such crucial funds for CALM, but for the smiles and special atmosphere you bring to the day. Despite the tragic loss of Nelson a positive legacy now lives on, and your incredible support is helping people open up about their own mental health, quash the stigmas, and help CALM’s continuous plight to reduce male suicide.
You were one of nearly 900 riders taking on the Test Valley’s stunning roads, and some of them pretty lumpy! As always it was amazing to see cyclists of all ages and abilities on the start line – from families and little ones taking on their first big ride, to riders nailing the 100 mile Full Monty in their best ever time. We even had someone taken out by a deer this year, think Ali from Propello CC may have been trying to ride it in an effort to go faster, but that’s just a rumour.
Thanks so much again to everyone that bought a jersey or cap, or had a dabble in our raffle. It’s so cool to see you all lined up on the start line shimmering in our fine threads, and helping us raise more pennies. You all looked smashing!
We really hope we can twist your legs to ride again next year…. so please save the date, Nelly rides again on:
SATURDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2018
THE HARD TRUTH
The reason why we’re doing this event is the facts surrounding male suicide are truly mind boggling. Suicide is the largest killer of men under 45 in the UK, of these suicides 76% are men. In 2014 4623 men took their life, that’s 12 men a day, costing the country roughly £20 million a day. If this list of facts doesn’t make you gasp for breath then I’m not sure what will.
With your help CALM is leading the fight to reduce these figures dramatically, money goes straight to the frontline services such as the call centre and web chat – one seat costs £60,000 pounds a year to run and takes over 8000 calls, that’s how important it is!
MONEY RAISED & THE IMPACT
It looks like we will have raised well over £30,000 – but money is still coming in to be counted over the next couple of weeks. Please keep your eyes peeled on CALM website for a total amount soon. Please see attached again the info graphic on the impact the event is having.
You can still donate now if you didn’t manage to on the day:
Text TDTV17 £5 or £10 to 70070 to donate to CALM
(please include £ sign)
All profits from the event go directly to CALM with every penny so valuable.
CALM STORY ON WEBSITE
Here’s a link to the CALM news piece on the day and all the finisher shots.
https://www.thecalmzone.net/2017/09/fifth-nelsons-tour-de-test-valley-sportive/
RIDER TIMES
If you’ve not seen this already here’s your riding times.
https://resultsbase.net/event/4143/results
OUR AMAZING PARTNERS
We have to say a MASSIVE thank you to all the partners and sponsors that help make this event happen, without them nothing would be possible. VANS Footwear, Langdowns DFK Chartered Accountants, Knight Frank, Madison, Harry Lodge from Halo Sports, Andy Cook Cycling and Abbots Anne Cycles.
Plus a massive thanks to the Pratt Family (especially Nelson’s Mum who bakes a 1000 brownies!), the amazing Bowtell’s caterers, Medi-Bike and Ricky Hill on his bike, Ivan’s Coffee, Scheckter’s organic energy drink, Stockbridge Oesteopathic Practice, Pimhil Farm for the muesli, Gary Harris Bike Mechanics, Results Base, the Army guys for running the bar, Dale Stiling for another awesome jersey design, Olympic snowboarders Jenny Jones and Aimee Fuller, Gus for his MC raffling, and all the amazing friends and volunteers who make the event happen. An amazing crew of people. I’m sure we’ve forgotten someone – sorry!
Without our trusty volunteers we wouldn’t have a hope of pulling this event off. From the registration staff, CALM helpers, the feed station crews, Rod and Bill on the farm, to all the people who helped bake food and hand out goodie bags.
FEEDBACK
We’d love to hear your thoughts, good or bad, so if you’ve got 2mins send us an email. How can we make it better? Feel free to have a rant!
https://nelsonstourdetestvalley.co.uk/contact/
Bye for now and thanks a million again from all the NTDTV Team and CALM.
RIDE ON NELLY.
The Pratt family, Marcus & the NTDTV Team & CALM.
www.vans.co.uk
www.langdownsdfk.com
www.knightfrank.co.uk/contact/hungerford-estate-agents
www.madison.co.uk