Donna Ida Thornton gets on her bike for Jeans for Genes Day
Donna Ida Thornton is taking on a new challenge for 2012 by cycling from London to Brighton for Jeans for Genes Day on Saturday 25th August as part of the Summer of Sport. Donna is looking for volunteers to cycle the 65 miles starting from Clapham Common and riding down and across the North Downs and through the beautiful Sussex countryside, via some quintessentially British towns and villages. The big challenge of the ride is the infamous Ditchling Beacon – which although not particularly high makes up for its lowly altitude in its legendary steepness – before a rapid descent into Brighton, down to the sea.
Donna Ida Thornton took part in The City Cycle Style exhibition, by leading fashion photographer Horst A. Friedrichs last year. Pictured above she is riding a 2010 Specialized Globe Carmel 3. For the Summer of Sport, Team Donna Ida will be riding either a drop handlebar racing bike – Genesis Aether 10 or a hybrid sports bike – Ridgeback Velocity.
Team Donna Ida have already taken part in a hugely successful 5k run around Richmond Park for Jeans for Genes Day and next on the agenda is a 23 miles trek on 21st July on the South Downs Way as part of the Summer of Sport.
This year Donna Ida Thornton has launched the Summer of Sport to aim to raise £30,000 for Jeans for Genes Day and has identified worthy causes to support including Batten Disease Family Association, Prader-Willi Syndrome Association, The Haemophilia Society and Rett UK. Donna recently met Isobel, aged 7 (pictured left) who has Rett Syndrome which is a rare neurological disorder and is one of the children who will benefit from fundraising this year.
Donna Ida Thornton said ‘I am so proud to be a patron for Jeans for Genes Day and am delighted that we have officially launched the Donna Ida Fund. The Summer of Sport will combine a number of activities to reach our fundraising target and the 5k run in June raised over £5,000 already which is a great start. I’m still looking for people to sponsor us on our trek, no donation is too small! And I will need all the support I can get for the 65 mile bike ride. This is all in preparation for next year when I aim to take on Mount Kilimanjaro in 2013 for Jeans for Genes Day.’
To join Donna and the team and register or find out more information, please visit http://regonline.activeeurope.com/summerofsport. To donate visit www.justgiving.com/DonnaIda2012. Follow Donna Ida Thornton on Twitter.com/donnaida or Facebook.com/donnaida.
To find out more information on the Jeans for Genes fund visit http://www.donnaida.com/blog/events-and-news/launching-the-donna-ida-fund-for-jeans-for-genes