When – 14th- 17th June

Where – London to St David’s Head

Fancy getting fit this summer for a good cause? Sign up to the Quintessentially Foundation Annual Bike Ride in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.
This year we are hoping to make the bike ride a journey to remember for every cyclist by incorporating England’s most picturesque views through Oxford, The Cotswolds, and Wales, ending at St David’s Head. The bike ride will also entail evening entertainment from visiting Sudeley Castle, dining at top restaurants and stopping along the journey at Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.
Quintessentially Foundation is looking to have 100 cyclists. With Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres recruiting 30 of their own cyclists, Quintessentially Foundation will only have 70 places left. With our large database from the past 3 years we would advise you to register early as places will go fast.
It will be a great way to get fit for the year ahead and to join the country by getting involved in activities as the Olympics is coming to London.
The target for the mere 300 mile bike ride is £300,000. Individually we would need each participant to raise £3,000. With just a few months to go it is the perfect time to register and start your training.

Contact emma@quintessentiallyfoundation.org for further details.

On Sunday 19^th February at Shepard’s Bush Empire an amazing line up headlined by Ed Sheeran and his special guests took to the stage to raise money for War Child.

The spectacular and emotive evening hosted by Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman featured performances from new band Dry the River, Malian MOBO award nominee Fatoumata Diawara, Blur front men Damon Albarn and Graham Coxen and headline act Ed Sheeran.

The Surrey born four-time Brit award nominee stole the show with his 7-song one-hour set in which he ‘called in a few favours’ from some extra special guests including Example, Labrinth and Wretch 35.

War Child are on track to raise £100,000 from the evening which will go to help vulnerable children from the brutal effects of war.

I am delighted to announce that all 54 cyclists crossed the finish line in Edinburgh on the 24th July raising over £200,000 for The Place2Be. On the bike ride challenge, the cyclists endeavoured around 466 miles in just 5 days! This was Quintessentially Foundation’s toughest bike ride yet with the cyclists crossing distances of 100 miles a day.
Our starting point for this exciting and challenging bike ride was the beautiful Alexandra Palace – the iconic North London venue with the best panoramic views of London. Our journey took the cyclists on a wonderful route which avoided most of the large towns between London and Edinburgh. The first two days were largely flat and the third and fourth days, although tough cycling, had some lovely countryside features for the cyclists. The finish was in Edinburgh between Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Palace.

The money raised has been donated to The Place2Be. The Place2Be works inside schools to improve the emotional wellbeing of children, their families and the whole school community. The Place2Be’s counseling services reach over 58,000 children in 172 schools in some of the UK’s toughest neighborhoods.

Thank you to all 54 cyclists that took part in the London to Edinburgh bike ride. We hope you all enjoyed it the event and we would love for you to take part in 2012.

The Reading Room team in Zambia works hard to select the most appropriate and engaging reading materials to stock the libraries. The Zambia team purchases local language and English books from retailers and publishers in Zambia, in addition to receiving English books through our global English book donation system. The majority of the books Room to Read provide are in English because children in Zambia are taught in English starting in Grade 2. Room to Read has provided 934 English books and other resources to this library.

Kapungwe Basic School library will receive three full years of additional support from Room to Read, which will include approximately 1,000 new books and regular monitoring visits to assess the library and provide continued support to the librarian and teachers to ensure the library provides many years of reading enjoyment for the students.

Your investment in our work has helped Quintessentially Foundation achieve ambitious goals and encourages us to continue to think big as we plan for the year ahead. Room to Read would like to say a huge thank you for your partnership as we work together to promote literacy and gender equality in education, giving more children the opportunities they deserve. Quintessentially Foundations investment has provided a tremendous gift to this community that will be used by hundreds of children over the years ahead.

This year’s very special Quintessentially Foundation Christmas Charity auction features a host of luxury and ‘money can’t buy’ items. To name a few; a Gucci handbag, a Hermes Birkin Bag, a Daylesford luxury hamper, an Alice Temperley Limited Edition One-off Dress and five star hotel stays around the world. This online auction is the perfect place to find an exciting and unique Christmas gift for family or friends.
The auction is raising much needed money for Room to Read, a charity which seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education (www.roomtoread.org).

Visit http://www.quintessentially.com/auction/ to view and bid for the fantastic selection of auction lots. Happy bidding!

The format of the evening catered for poker lovers and their guests with one hundred and seventy one players taking their seats alongside A List faces for a Texas Hold’em tournament while a drinks and canapés reception continued alongside the game for one hundred further attendees. Star players include David Walliams, Grace Woodward, Ben Elliot, John McCririck, Tom Parker-Bowles, Michael Vaughan and Jimmy Anderson.

Sebastian Lee was the tournament winner taking home the African safari Holiday by Mantis Collection, and runner up John Brink winning the Marcus Wareing cook at your home experience.

The event has showcase Quintessentially Foundation alongside some of the most luxurious and exclusive brands in the world and we have received extensive media coverage from London’s Evening Standard, Grazia, The Financial Times How to Spend it magazine and The Daily Mail.

This year’s Poker event fundraising is going to SOS Children, towards their current projects in Chipata Zambia to give children the love and care they require through Family Strengthening Programmes. Thank you to everyone that attended and supported the event. We hope to see you all next year for more gambling for good causes.

After a short summer break over August the Quintessentially Foundation autumn fundraising kicked off with the Royal Parks Half Marathon, a scenic 13mile run through London’s most beautiful parks.   We are happy to report that all fundraisers completed the race safe and sound, though maybe a little sore…and some a little wet!  Well Done to Will Stafford, Billy Keates and James Collins for running.

We are still collecting donations for this event so if you would like to donate please see the our Facebook page for more details on the runners and how to get involved.

Pro Dono specialises in organising one-to-one experiences with well-known famous figures – for those interested in business, it might be a visit to Guernsey with Terra Firma’s Guy Hands; for a gastronome, a cookery lesson with Raymond Blanc; for a cricket fan, perhaps afternoon tea at Lord’s with Geoffrey Boycott?

And here’s the best part – it’s all in aid of charity. You suggest a donation to go to the celebrity’s chosen charity. Pro Dono has over 90 celebrity supporters raising money for over 75 causes.What’s more, Pro Dono offers a fully professional service, organising everything from venue reservations to transport arrangements.With the opportunity to meet one of your heroes and the added bonus of giving to charity, what’s not to like?

Head to www.prodono.co.uk to find out more, or contact Chloe at chloe.musgrave@quintessentiallyfoundation.org.

Here one of our cyclists’ recalls his experiences on the London to Edinburgh bike ride:

Day 1 – London to Peterborough (94 miles)

The day started early in the car park of Alexandra Palace in North London. There was a cold wind from the north so, after extended greetings of people we met last year, and the briefing from the marshals, so all 52 starters were glad to set off at 7.30am.

We wound our way through the suburbs of London but within 10 miles we were in the countryside and people settled into their respective pace and spread out – a pattern of 2 hours between front and back group that was to maintain throughout the event.

There were a few early hills through London but the terrain flattened out and the full force of the cold, north wind that was to dog us for the whole trip became apparent.

When you’re on a bike and the wind is blowing against you, it feels like you would stop dead if you stopped pedalling.  It was also so cold that the joints ached constantly – for me, the knees (until Dr Nurofen made a welcome appearance around lunchtime).

We pulled into our hotel outside Peterborough at about 3.30pm.  A crew of masseurs were on hand to remedy tired legs and shoulders (the cheapest and best of the trip at £15 for a half hour).  Peter, also from Bermuda, pushed along with the lead group to finish amongst the first in difficult conditions.  He was accompanied by Ian from Scotland and two other fit-looking tri-athletes who made it a mission to be first each day (they were).

Slept well.

Day 2 – Peterborough to Scunthorpe (96 miles)

The organisers issued maps and elevation profiles each morning.  The weather forecast was as bleak as the day before, and the terrain expected to be similar (flat – and therefore wind exposed).

The first 10 miles were on the Peterborough ring road, with large trucks thundering past.  Although not pleasant, it did get the legs (and in my case, sore knees) warmed up pretty quickly.  We formed pace lines – single file, alternating at the front – to keep as much speed up as possible in the ferocious, cold wind.  Oh, and the rain….

We all battled driving rain, with the strong winds, from mid-morning onwards, arriving very tired at the hotel outside Scunthorpe at around 3.30pm.  Thanks to Mike for alternating the drafting during the day – mate, you have to get rid of the purple parachute on your back pretending to be a rain jacket – it will be so much easier for you!

Dinner was a quiet affair, with much comment about the dismal weather so far and fear of worse to come.

Slept fitfully.

Day 3 – Scunthorpe to Middlesborough (100 miles)

The elevation profile for day 3 showed 3 large climbs (3-400m bottom to top, so hardly alpine – but painful all the same).

These rides (at least for me) are punctuated by the hills – the dread of what’s ahead and then the relief of getting to the top of each one.  At this stage, too, I was worried about pulling something before challenges to come (day 4 – see below).  As fellow riders we spent time at breakfast and in the breaks checking the map and looking at the map in trepidation.

On the ride itself, most of that was forgotten, as the scenery (and weather) improved dramatically.  After 18 miles and a dull start (on all fronts), we crossed the Humber on a bridge which still impresses half a century after it was built – it takes quite a few minutes to cross and we were not hanging around.

After the Humber Bridge we stopped to regroup and the sun came out for a group photo and stayed out for the whole day, so for once the weather was not as bad as forecast.  The landscape from here on was stunning and if you were ever thinking of doing a ride/walk/tour, I would recommend starting from here and working upwards.

Lunch was at 65 miles, after 3 big hills in the East Yorkshire moors.  The ride after lunch included an “oh sh*t” moment going down a steep, winding hill in the woods, when I had to use all of the road at 35mph to make a corner; thank God no-one was coming the other way.

Before finishing the day, we did the biggest climb of the trip so far – in the North York Moors National Park.  I started off strongly from the last water break and, thinking I was spoiling for a fight, a young blade (Justin) chased me up the hill.  I was totally spent by the top, in the face of a horrible head wind, so I ended up drafting behind the poor chap for the last 15 miles to the hotel – I bought him a beer for his trouble that night.  Scenery was impressive but I was just too pooped to appreciate it.

After a rest however we watched the highlights of one of the best Tour de France stages on record – Cadel Evans looking in good shape for the yellow jersey.

The “ice cream sundae” was particularly memorable – a huge blob of bright yellow and brown that I’m no doubt had never seen chocolate, vanilla or cream.

Again, not a great night’s sleep, thinking about the “big day” tomorrow.

Day 4 – Middlesborough to Alnwick (100 miles)

The map / profile of the day’s ride was handed out at breakfast…..oh dear!  It looked like the mouth of Jaws – up and down in sharp points.  It was difficult to discern the exact number of teeth but 8 – 10 seemed to be the consensus.

My mental approach was to get to lunch at over half way (60 miles) – with 5 of the major climbs done, and only then think about the home stretch.

In the event, I had a good run in to lunch.  I caught a group on one of the hills, including Justin from the day before, and we had a marvelous “race” down the other side through some lovely woods and undulations.  Got up to 45mph on one of the downhill stretches – trying to avoid thinking about being on 23mm tyres and brake pads that are about 3cm x 1cm.

However, at lunch my body reminded me how old I was and I just couldn’t get up to rejoin that group.  I joined my regular group and we moved almost immediately to the next set of hills.

On the worst bits, I was riding with Chris, and we encouraged each other up each steep section, and freewheeled down the other side.  At the last water stop, the marshall assured us there was one big hill and then it was “undulating” from there ’til home.

At 95 miles – after some killer hills – we hit the top of the “last” hill, and pedaled as hard as we could down the mountain, thinking we were heading into the village where we were staying over night.  But no – one last unpleasant surprise awaited us – a 17% hill in 2x 200m sections.  There wasn’t one part of my body that wasn’t aching at this stage, and I was so glad to finish at the very nice hotel in Alnwick, with fantastic staff (Gary, the maitre d’, put up with some severe stick).

That was at 4.30pm.  The last group arrived as we were having dinner at 8.30pm.

The scenery and weather, though just as windy as ever against us, had been breathtaking.  In all, we had climbed 7,500 ft that day.

Having had poor sleep for a couple of nights, I took up the offer of a sleeping pill to help me rest.  I woke up in the night wanting the bathroom and felt so wobbly I walked into the toilet door.  Maybe a half dose next time.

Day 5 – Alnwick to Edinburgh (82 miles)

To be honest, my legs (knees in particular) were all but done by now and I sincerely hoped it would be a nice cruise into Edinburgh on the final day.

Things looked good as we crossed the Tweed at the beautiful Coldstream and the sun came out after a cold and windy start.

The biggest hill of the whole ride was before lunch (at 65 miles again).  It didn’t disappoint – 5k of climbing against the wind and then (it seemed to me) a near vertical 300m one pedal stroke at a time.

This was a proper hill – in the lowest gear I had, out of the saddle, and grinding onwards and upwards, hearing each breath and willing myself to take the next downstroke (sorry to be so dramatic, but that’s how it was).

I took a rest at the top, overlooking a wind farm (beautiful, but inefficient, I was told by an engineer coming the other way) and then took some photos of my team mates coming up the hill.  We all then free-wheeled down some hairy, gravelly, cattle-gridded, roads to the lunch stop (the best of the trip).  The whiff of the finish was so close I had to have a pint of bitter shandy!

I now have to confess that, for the last 20 miles, all I wanted was the finish.  Sure, it was fantastic weather, and we were ambling along the beautiful beaches to the east of Edinburgh (never knew they had surf but there were some lovely rollers coming in).  But I was done for.  My a*se was complaining (despite having 2x sets of shorts as a special treat for the last day), my legs were shot and I just wanted to get to the end.

The finish line was underneath Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, the sun was blazing and thousands of people were there (not because of us, but because there’s only about 5 days a year like that in Scotland).  The final stretch had a surreal quality to it; there was an ice cream van, this bloke on a 12ft tall bike entertaining the crowd, people having picnics etc. and at the same time we were being asked to move ourselves and our bikes because we were “blocking traffic”. To my great relief, someone was on hand with cold beers at the finish line (thanks Rupert, Chris and Seb) to keep tempers under control.  Thanks also to Rufus who handed Drew and I an iced lolly as we crossed the line – small things really do count.

After some baggage dramas and a quick change in the cab (there wasn’t much to see after 5 days in the saddle), Drew and I managed to catch the 6.15pm to London.  I was left with a sense of pride after raising over $15k for charity, making some new friends, some fantastic memories and a pair of very sore legs.  472.5 miles, 20,000 ft of climbing (all in the last 3 days) and 1 tub of very much appreciated chamois (ie. a*se) cream.

I would like to say many, many thanks to my fellow riders named above and unnamed, for being such a good bunch, and sorry to those I was not able to speak enough with (Colleen, all the Tims and Ollies, Jake, George, the Met policemen etc).

Our first Johnnie Walker Blue Label Philanthropy Talk of 2011 brought together two leaders of organisations that are at the intersection of business and society. Both have the potential to contribute to the big society in hugely innovative and significant ways.

Speaking first was Daniela Barone Soares, who is the Chief Executive of Impetus Trust. Impetus is the UK leader in “venture philanthropy”, which applies venture capital practices to the social sector, with amazing results. Daniela will be speaking about how Venture Philanthropy can help build the Big Society.

Following Daniela will be Stephen Dawson, who is focussing on an even bigger society – this time in Sub Saharan Africa. Stephen is Chairman of Jacana Venture Partnership, which he started two years ago. He and his partners believe that small and medium-sized businesses in sub Saharan Africa have the potential to create many more jobs, which obviously not only benefits the economy, but also benefits the community. But there is not enough growth capital available. Bank loans are difficult to secure, are short-term and expensive and the private equity industry in SSA is extremely under-developed. So Stephen and his partners have decided the way they can have maximum impact on poverty in Africa is by building the capacity of growth capital investment managers.

If you would like to join the team or get involved with sponsorship opportunities, please contact Chloe Musgrave at chloe.musgrave@quintessentiallyfoundation.org