News
Hampshire physiotherapist to cycle tandem to the Alps
Becky Hobbs, a physiotherapist specialising in spinal cord injuries, will soon be embarking on a journey to raise funds for charity.
She will be riding a tandem bike from Staines, where Access Adventures, the charity she will be raising funds for, has its base all the way to Val Thorens, where Access Adventures organises its ski camps.
Becky got the idea to ride to the Alps on a tandem bike while picking up strangers along the way to help her pedal her way to the Val Thorens a few years ago, before COVID hit.
But her adventure to figure out how far she could get on her tandem bike along Europe was stopped by COVID.
Now a few years later she has decided to resume her adventure and this time use it to raise money for the Acesse Adventure charity, which is a small organisation that helps disabled people to take part in different types of sports, such as skiing and various types of water sports.
She thinks this trip will take her about three weeks to complete, or at least that is the amount of time she is hoping to be able to complete the challenge in, hoping she will get to Val Thorens in time to do some more volunteering there.
When asked what she thought would be the hardest part of the challenge, she said: “The hardest part cycling-wise will definitely be the Alps, so Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe, so that’s a big climb to get in March when it can be snowy.”
But the steep hills won’t be the only problem she could encounter in this challenge as she will be taking strangers she meets along the way on the back of her bike and relying on them to help her and also relying on the kindness of people to host her and let her stay in different places along the way to rest.
She said: “Really relying on people’s kindness to get me there.”
Once she reaches Val Thorens, she will also be volunteering at the Ski camp that Acesse Active organises there.
These ski camps help people with disabilities be able to ski independently without having to rely on other people to be able to enjoy the sport.
This won’t be her first time volunteering there.
She said that she chose to support this charity because she is a physiotherapist specialised in spinal cord injuries and this charity was funded by two people who had suffered from this kind of injury and a physio and the sports that this charity helps people with disabilities to do can be life-changing for them.
She said: “I’ve done a bit of volunteering with them and I really see the difference they make and so I thought I want to try and support them, they are only a smaller charity so they need the fundraising to keep them going .”
You can follow her journey on her Instagram @humansofthetandem and can also support her by donating on her JustGiving page Humans of the Tandem
( https://www.justgiving.com/page/tandem-for-access?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL )
Communities are encouraged to buy a poppy as this year’s Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal is launched in the lead-up to Remembrance Day.
The annual fundraising campaign supports members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, personnel and their families.
The Poppy Appeal remains the Legion’s biggest annual fundraiser.
Last year, more than 32 million poppies were distributed across the UK, and about £51.4 million was raised in donations.
Chris Hayward is managing the Poppy Appeal in North Hampshire & Winchester and said: “Wearing a poppy during Remembrance time shows that you care.”
“It’s a national symbol, and it shows the armed forces community that you appreciate everything that they do.”
She added: “For those who want to get involved, you can wear your poppy, donate to the Royal British Legion, Poppy Appeal, and also participate in the collections and volunteer as a collector.”
Winchester will be recognising remembrance itself, with a service at the Cathedral on Sunday, 9th November, in addition to a service at Winchester Guildhall at 11 am on Armistice Day.
The service will begin at 9:20 am and will include a procession from The Broadway to Winchester Cathedral, as well as wreath laying too.
Donations from the campaign go towards services including mental health support, housing assistance and employment advice for veterans transitioning to civilian life.
For more information on how to donate, volunteer or order poppies online, visit: britishlegion.org.uk/poppyappeal.
Until 2093, asteroid 2025 PN7 will be sharing the Earth’s orbit.
You may have seen circuiting on social media a myth that the Earth has two moons from now until 2083 – sadly, that’s science fiction.
In August of this year astronomers discovered asteroid 2025 PN7.
It is considered a quasi-moon as it orbits the sun in a similar path to Earth.
According to Mike Shanahan, planetarium director at New Jersey’s Liberty Science Centre, the asteroid has been travelling “alongside Earth for 60 years”.
Due to the size of the asteroid, it wasn’t discovered until this summer.
Astronomy fans hoping to see a second moon in the sky are out of luck.
The asteroid is too small and far away to be seen by the naked eye or regular telescopes.
The number of asteroids in Earth-like orbit has been known to exceed 100.
Some orbit alongside the Earth for merely months, whereas others years or decades.
Currently, six other quasi-moons have been recorded near Earth.
Cardiff is the first UK city to introduce a “tax” for SUVs weighing over 2.4 tonnes.
The tax is to be enforced in residential permit areas, and also includes cars that are powered by diesel.
Cardiff Council is hoping that implementing this will improve congestion, the air quality, and create space on pavements.
The exact cost has yet to be announced, but the council has announced it will be releasing the tax in phases.
Winchester is a relatively small city with many residential permit areas – the question of a similar initiative being introduced locally has arisen.
Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council chose not to respond to Winchester News Online, with Winchester City Council stating that it is not a subject a councillor is likely to comment on, as it is an issue relevant to Cardiff and not yet an issue to Winchester.
Though the council does not yet deem this a possibility, it has gotten the public talking.
Jet Gates, a disability campaigner, said:
“It’s going to have a massive impact on disabled people across the UK
“We are a highly marginalized group in society – it’s just yet another nail in the coffin.”
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