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Joe’s pedal power raises much-needed funds for bureaux

Joe and bike in Berlin

Berlin

Joe and Bike, Slovakian mountains

Slovakian mountains

Joe England, a volunteer adviser, spent his summer cycling across Europe to raise money for the CAB service. Seeing the impact that funding cuts are having on bureaux nationally, Joe was inspired to raise funds to help keep local bureaux going "at a time when their help is needed more than ever."

Altogether Joe spent nine weeks on the go, crossing Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and France before returning home. Raising a grand total of over £1,000 for the CAB service, Joe clocked up an impressive 4,210 kilometres (2,631 miles).

A keen cyclist, Joe used Facebook to keep in touch with his supporters and to raise awareness of the CAB service alongside much-needed funds. Having volunteered for his local bureau for over a year, Joe had seen first hand examples of the great work bureaux do. "The emphasis is always on empowerment to the individual and they are open to everyone, including all of you, for any problem", as Joe wrote on his blog.

Travelling alone, Joe had to deal with all sorts of challenges – from learning to say ‘left, right, forward’ in seven different languages to the fears of friends and family that he had gone missing in the Slovakian mountains. Not one to be deterred, Joe pushed on trying to keep a balance between making progress and avoiding injury as at the same time that his muscles were developing, so too were various aches and pains.

"I am finally starting to see it less like a long bike ride and more like an epic adventure. I am really happy to have raised so much money for a service that is open to everyone and a brilliant source of help if you are ever in trouble."

We would like to congratulate Joe for his magnificent achievement and thank everyone who sponsored and supported him. The money raised will enable bureaux to instigate changes that will make a real difference to people’s lives and the communities they live in.

If you feel inspired by Joe’s story, find out more about how you can: