Hilary Armstrong supports Centrepoint young person on charity bicycle ride across Africa

A resident of Centrepoint’s Derwentside service for homeless young people, Damian and another young person living at a London Centrepoint service, plus a Centrepoint staff member are raising funds for African conservation specialists, Tusk Trust. The expedition will raise funds that will be used to empower people across the continent to improve their livelihood in harmony with their natural resources.

On visiting the Derwentside service, Hilary Armstrong and Cllr Olga Milburn of Derwentside District Council commended Damian for his willingness and determination to help those in Africa whose plight is significant. The expedition will see him cycling from Namibia on the first leg of the journey along with a team of seven cyclists without support. Ms Armstrong and Cllr Milburn heard firsthand from several other young people and staff how Centrepoint provides support to those grappling with homelessness by helping them to develop the skills they need for a sustainable future.

Hilary Armstrong says: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Damian and those that he is going to help by doing this. I would like to wish him well and all the best!”

For his own part, Damian is making his final preparations for departure by combining his rigorous training schedule with his fundraising efforts. Each team member needs to raise £3000 for the equipment and costs associated with the trip.

Damian says: “To visit Africa and to raise money for people who are perhaps in more challenging circumstances than the ones I have faced is such a unique opportunity for me, which I’m grabbing with both hands. I feel really proud and lucky to be taking part and I’m sure it will give me a whole new perspective on my own situation while I get my life on track. I’m really excited and can’t wait to get on the plane.”

Prince William is Royal Patron of both Centrepoint and Tusk Trust, who were brought together as a result of The Princes’ Charities Forum. The Princes’ Charities Forum enables Princes William and Harry’s charities to unite by giving them the opportunity to meet and explore ways to work together.

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For further information and to register your attendance for photos of this event, please contact Claudia McKenzie, redheadPR on 0870 240 5536

Notes to Editors:

• Centrepoint is the national charity working to improve the lives of socially excluded homeless young people.  It provides a range of accommodation based services, including emergency night shelters and short stay hostels, specialist projects for care leavers, ex-offenders, young single parents, foyers and supported flats and floating support services. These accommodation services provide the foundations from which young people can start tackling the issues that lead to them becoming homeless, and developing the skills they need for a sustainable future.

• Benefiting the work of Tusk Trust, who initiate and fund conservation and community development programmes across Africa, the money raised from the Cycle of Life expedition will go directly to the projects visited on the trip to provide each with long-term funding programmes. Starting in the southern country of Namibia, the team will cycle through Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania, ending the bike ride in Kenya.

• Getting the funds for the trip is uppermost on Damian’s mind and he has launched a Just Giving web page http://www.justgiving.com/damianjansoncycleoflife so that people can help him get the equipment and other items he needs. Money raised over the £3000 cost will go to Tusk’s £500,000 fundraising target.

• HRH Prince William became Centrepoint’s patron in 2005.

• Since 1969 Centrepoint has helped more than 70,000 young people.

• At any one time Centrepoint works with approximately 700 young people. 650 in direct services and at least 50 others.

• For more information about Centrepoint please go to centrepoint.org