A Bath businesswoman is rediscovering a childhood passion to help raise money for charity.
Linda Donaldson, 39, will be one of around 40 riders taking part in the Deloitte Ride Across Britain in aid of the Bath Rugby Foundation.
Linda, who is director of Geometry PR, will be riding the 1,000-mile route from John O'Groats in her home country of Scotland to Land's End in June, alongside former Bath Rugby stars David Flatman, Lewis Moody and Andrew Beattie.
The mother-of-three will face up to 100 miles of riding for nine consecutive days and hopes to raise £5,000 for the Bath Rugby Foundation, a cause she has supported with her business for ten years.
She said: "It's such a great charity and people think it gets money from Bath Rugby but it's an independent charity doing great work not just for disadvantaged children but all children from all backgrounds. It's embracing children who are at that age in their life when they are going to go one of two ways – off the rails or not. There are a lot of young people benefiting from the foundation."
However, despite her passion for the charity and a newly rediscovered love of cycling it is only a year since Linda got back on her bike.
She said: "I started riding at about eight. My parents bought some rally racers and as a family we'd go out for hours on end and I really enjoyed it. I didn't really look at a bike again until last year when the foundation asked if I'd do the Bike Bath event, which was 30 miles."
She said of the latest challenge: "When it was launched, I said there's no way I'm doing that, but in January Bath Rugby had won and I had one or two lagers with a friend, I was ribbed a bit and in the end I agreed to do it."
To sponsor Linda, visit www. virginmoneygiving.com/linda donaldson1.
To keep track of Linda's training, follow her blog at www.thisisbath.co.uk.
