Why Ben is gearing up for his next big challenge

Ben Gore is in training for an epic solo cycling expedition from King’s Lynn to Istanbul in Support of TimeNorfolk pregnancy loss charity. Here, he explains how it is not the first time he’s pushed himself to the limit for charity

Ben Gore, a Senior Support Worker at JMR Healthcare, is gearing up for an extraordinary journey from his hometown in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, to Istanbul, Turkey, covering a staggering distance of 4500km on a solo cycling expedition. This remarkable endeavour aims to raise funds and awareness for TimeNorfolk, a charity providing free counselling support to individuals affected by pregnancy loss, baby loss, and pregnancy choices across Norfolk and Waveney.

What has led him to map out a route from King’s Lynn to Istanbul? ‘I was raised in King’s Lynn, so it just felt good to have it as starting point. Plus, the Lynn community is strong, and they’ve gotten behind me before with various endeavours so it’s only right really. 

‘In terms of finishing in Istanbul, there’s a bridge there called the Martyr Bridge which crosses into Asia. I’ve spent a lot of my adult life in Asia, and it is place where I’ve done a lot of growth. The feeling of cycling from my childhood home to Asia will just be the cherry on top for this adventure.’

Ben is a Senior Support Worker within the JMR Crisis management team, supporting children and young adults who have found themselves in crisis for various reasons.

He has a passion for adventure and regularly spends his holiday time travelling – and this hasn’t been Ben’s first step into the unknown. At the end of 2022, he trekked 82km across the Sahara Desert. ‘The Sahara double marathon taught me that your mind gives up before your body,’ says Ben. ‘We really do have a reserve tank somewhere that we can access when we’re at our limit. It also taught me that there’s no amount of Vaseline and blister plasters on earth that can prepare you for a mission like that.’

With 18 months of experience at JMR Healthcare, Ben Gore’s passion for adventure and unwavering commitment to supporting those in need have driven him to embark on this challenging expedition.

Ben only has a few weeks left before he sets off. ‘The training is going well. I’ve learnt on other long-haul adventures that injury prevention is just as important, if more important, than the cardio and physical strength. I’ve learnt this the hard way! So, I’m doing as much yoga/body mobility bits as I am cycling.’

He is going to take a tent with him, and says: ‘I don’t know where I’m going to sleep, who I’ll meet or what I’ll encounter, but that’s the beauty of the trip, I want to inspire others to push their comfort zones while rallying the community to support TimeNorfolk. My family was shaken by a baby loss recently and TimeNorfolk provided 16 free counselling sessions. The work they do is incredible, and it takes a lot of funding. Fundraisers like this enable that work to be free of charge for the client.’

Fiona Gosden, TimeNorfolk CEO, says: ‘I have had the privilege of meeting Ben, he radiates courage and determination. His journey will face setbacks and celebrations, this mirrors the uncertain journey of parents who come to TimeNorfolk following the loss of a baby. Please champion Ben by donating and support bereaved parents across Norfolk.’

Jeannie Melton-Royal, Wellbeing Lead, describes Ben is ‘a compassionate, caring, and dedicated young man.’ She adds: ‘My favourite memory of Ben is our telephone conversation where he apologised for the signal, but he was in a hut in the jungle, and he really was!’

She adds: ‘We are proud to be helping Ben fund some of this amazing trip and hope that he can raise a great deal of money for this amazing cause. This charity I have regularly signposted our staff team members to.’

So, what is Ben’s next challenge going to be? ‘I’d be lying if I wasn’t always planning the next one,’ says Ben. ‘I’ve wanted to explore all the ‘Stans in Central Asia for a while now. It’s a beautiful and misunderstood part of the world. I’ll have to get to the drawing board soon.’

Ben Gore is fundraising for Time Norfolk. Setting off on April 13 2024, Ben will be cycling from King’s Lynn to Martyr Bridge in Istanbul with just his bike and a tent. He will be passing through 12 countries during his journey, finishing in Turkey after roughly 90 days. You can donate towards Ben’s fundraising target of £3,000 here: justgiving.com. Keep an eye on @JMR_Healthcare and @timenorfolk for updates on Ben’s journey and fundraising.

Featured images – supplied