I’ve committed to riding 800 kilometres across Thailand to raise funds for Hands Across the Water, an organisation that supports children who have faced significant adversity early in life — and helps them build a future defined by choice, not chance.

This ride will be physically demanding and mentally challenging, but that’s exactly why I chose to do it. I wanted to take on something that requires real commitment and consistency to support children who didn’t get to choose the circumstances they were born into.

In 2024, my son spent several days visiting one of the homes supported by Hands Across the Water. Seeing the work first-hand — the care, stability, and opportunities being created — reinforced just how important this support is, and how tangible the impact can be when people choose to help.

Hands Across the Water began in response to the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. Today, they support more than 170 children across three homes and community projects in Thailand, and work with families through outreach programs to help keep children safely at home wherever possible.

The children who come to live in a Hands home do so because they have no choice. This is often due to one of three situations:

• They have no known family able to care for them

• They have a family member who is known to them, but unable to provide care

• They are living in an unsafe environment and have been placed into care by authorities

Hands provides safe homes, nutritious food, education, healthcare, and long-term support. Just as importantly, they help children see what’s possible — supporting them to imagine, and work towards, a life of opportunity.

My goal is to raise $8,000 through this ride. If you’re able to support me, you won’t just be helping me reach the finish line — you’ll be contributing to work that is making a real, lasting difference for children and families in Thailand.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you’d like to be part of the journey, I’d be incredibly grateful for your support.