Hi there, I'm James. On Sunday 16th June I will be cycling 54 miles to raise money for the costly rebuild of the Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club (NSSC) clubhouse building, as well as to overcome a personal knee injury that affected me for 12 years.
Back in April 2009, I injured both knees whilst cycling 62 miles around the Isle of Wight. Following the ride, I went through months of anti-inflammation treatment and periods of pain and frustration. After 12 years, several X-rays, MRI scans and multiple courses of physiotherapy, I underwent a double knee arthroscopy in 2021 to remove plicae and inflamed fat pads from both knees. A long period of recovery followed, and I have been slowly building up the miles again to regain strength in both knees to avoid further injury. This coming June, I will be cycling from London to Brighton, which will be the longest ride I have cycled since my operation and a big milestone in my recovery.
The Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club (NSSC) are looking to raise over £36,000 to rebuild their 1970's clubhouse building and to improved disabled access to the building. This valuable asset and iconic building had to be closed in November 2023, due to major structural damage caused by years of exposure to the natural elements. The club has been a big part of my life from a young age, and taught me how to sail, how to compete competitively in sailing races, how to organise and run races as a Race Officer, and how to have fun on the water! The clubhouse was a thriving meeting place and activity centre, regularly used by the club membership of 1000 or so members. It hosted a bustling café that was well-loved by the local community of Seaford, and was one of the last remaining places where you could purchase and enjoy drink and food on Seaford seafront. The sailing club is a not-for-profit organisation, led and run by volunteers, and has members of all ages and abilities. Please help me to raise the funds we need to restore and save this valuable sports facility, for the members as well as for the local community.
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.