BICA 2024- 32 Counties

From 19th to 26th July I am joining a team of 30+ cyclists who will be cycling 650 miles through the 32 counties of Ireland to raise money for the following charities:

BICA 2024 - OUR CHARITIES
1) It Takes Balls To Talk
Safeline – Believe Iin You
It Takes Balls to Talk is a campaign which uses sporting themes to encourage people, particularly men, to talk about how they feel. Suicide is the biggest cause of death in men under the age of 45, and 75% of people who have taken their own lives had not had any contact with mental health services.
The It Takes Balls To Talk campaign supports awareness raising teams at large sporting events, such as Aston Villa FC match days, and bespoke events targeted at high risk industries such as Construction, where specially train volunteers can promote conversations around mental health, help individuals to identify stresses that can contribute to suicide, and provide awareness of how to seek support when it is needed.
2) Safeline is a specialist sexual violence and abuse charity, who provide a comprehensive range of specialist services to adults and children affected by, or at risk of sexual violence.
Safeline provide free, independent and confidential services including a specialist survivors helpline, medical and forensic support, counselling and therapy, practical support led by Independent Sexual Violence Advocates, and an online guided self-help programme (Taste of Recovery). They also undertake prevention and early intervention courses in Primary and Secondary schools to help promote awareness and remove the barriers that prevent people from accessing specialist support.
3) Beads of Courage
Beads of Courage UK is a childhood charity which supports the mental health and wellbeing of children with serious chronic and life-threatening conditions.
The Beads of Courage programme provides children with a non-scary, tangible means to communicate with their peers about what they have been through and continue to go through. At each stage of their illness journey, children receive a new Bead of Courage to form a physical representation of key milestones, including birthdays, completing treatment and other relevant events. By opening up lines of communication and breaking down barriers of illness through lack of knowledge, the Beads of Courage programme has helped over 14,000 children process and communicate their illness journey in their own way.
4) UHCW Lung Cancer Research
Lung Cancer is the leading cause of Cancer related deaths worldwide, and Radiotherapy is often used as a treatment to target and destroy Cancer cells. The University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire Charity, one of the leading centres for cancer treatment in the West Midlands, are raising money for a dedicated Research Fellow in Radiation Oncology. This post will be the first of its kind in the region, and will conduct original research into radiation treatment and how to make it more effective lung cancer patients, which will result in better quality treatment and improved outcomes for lung cancer patients.

5) Father Hudson’s Care – Tabor Living & St Chads Sanctury
Tabor Living provides support and accommodation to people experiencing homelessness in Birmingham. With a focus on a help-up, not a hand-out, they offer shelter to those in immediate need, and next step accommodation to help people transition to independent living accommodation through their volunteer supported centres.
St Chads Sanctury is a charity which provides welcome, hospitality and practical support to asylum seekers and refugees. Located in Central Birmingham, they provide both practical support such as food and clothing, and theoretical support through language classes.
6) BIA Tuesday Club
The Birmingham Irish Association Tuesday Club is a programme which is targeted at Seniors who are at risk of isolation and loneliness.
Based in Digbeth, they arrange weekly social events which include entertainment,
refreshments and transport, providing a base for Senior people in the local community to come together.