Update: A kind-hearted Hitchin man has embarked on a gruelling cycle ride to Paris with pals to raise awareness and money to help women in Afghanistan. 

Nick Senechal is heading to Paris - venue for the summer's forthcoming 2024 Olympics - and intends to cover more than 500 kilometres in four days on four wheels for a serious purpose.

Lifelong keen cyclist Nick is a member of the Hitchin Nomads bike club and is relishing the 400k challenge.

He explains: "Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, many women have been denied access to education, amongst many other rights and freedoms we - in the west, and men in particular - take for granted.

"Devastating at a personal level, denying education to women also robs a country of 50% of its doctors, engineers, farmers, teachers - you get the idea."

Through the 'Restoring Hope' campaign by Women for Women International UK, Nick aims to help make a difference by raising funds to support these women. 

How does Nick link this to cycling and the Olympics?

"Cycling, like education," explains passionate Nick, "represents freedom, and I was deeply inspired when I met two young Afghan women - Mina and Arefa - who had to leave their homes to pursue their dream of competing in cycling at the Paris Olympics.

"They came to compete in my cycling club's own race as part of their preparation and their resilience and determination touched my heart, and has inspired me to raise money to help their sisters in Afghanistan."

Join Nick and his fellow riders from Hitchin Nomads in this cause by supporting the 'Restoring Hope' campaign through the provided link here

Your contribution will directly impact the lives of Afghan women and honour the example of women like Mina and Arefa.

Nick adds: "Thank you for considering this opportunity to restore hope and empower women and build a better World through education."

Read Hitchin Nub News on Saturday morning for the latest from Nick and his pals asa they make their way to Paris.

Update from Nick:

We are now on day two St Malo to Caen, after a very early start on Thursday to get to Reading with my self-built bamboo bike and suitcase for the departure of the ride to Portsmouth and as comfortable a night as expected on the ferry!

It will be a bit emotional for me to visit Caen where we finish this leg of the event, as my dad took part in the epic WW2 Battle of Caen as a young tank driver in the Normandy campaign.

We are just hoping the rain holds off especially for the arrival in Paris.

Not quite the 'Tour de France' but we will have completed a significant challenge raising funds for our chosen charities. 

It is great to be riding with a group of work colleagues as we embark on this special cycling journey from Reading to Paris, the venue for this year's Olympics. We aim to cover 500 km in just over 4 days, with 100 km to go today as we approached Mont St Michel.