A dad from Newton Hall will cycle a gruelling 220-miles in under a day to raise vital funds for Ambitious about Autism. On Sunday 28 June, Jonathan Imber, who grew up in Manchester before moving to Durham to attend university, will take on the iconic Manchester to London challenge, organised by cycling lifestyle brand Rapha. The event will see participants set off from the Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel at dawn and cycle through the rolling Pennines and Chilterns before crossing the finish line at Rapha HQ in North London that night.
Ambitious about Autism is the national charity standing with autistic children and young people. The charity started as one school and has become a movement for change. It champions rights, campaigns for change and creates opportunities. Manchester to London (M2L) was created in 2014 by Simon Mottram, the founder and former CEO of Rapha, and to date has raised over £1.6 million for Ambitious about Autism. Simon, and his wife, Lucy, are ambassadors for the charity. Simon and Lucy’s son Oscar attended the charity’s specialist TreeHouse School and Ambitious College in London. Jonathan, who goes by Jonny, has chosen to take part in the ride and fundraise for Ambitious about Autism because he has a personal connection to autism, through both his family and his work.
Jonny, 52, has autistic children who he says struggled in the mainstream education system. He explains that their family has had to work hard to find a school environment that is right for them. Inspired by his family’s experience, Jonny changed careers to become a teaching assistant while retraining as a psychotherapist. He is now employed as a school counsellor, often working with autistic young people who experience similar challenges to his own children, “working hard to listen to their stories and advocate for them to the best of his ability”. Jonny, said: “I believe passionately that the education system – and children’s mental health support systems – need systematic change in order to be truly inclusive. I have chosen to support Ambitious about Autism to aid its efforts to influence this necessary system-wide change”.
Earlier this year, Ambitious about Autism launched its Absence Notes campaign, which highlights the challenges autistic pupils often face in school and calls for a more inclusive education system. Jonny says he has always enjoyed cycling, an activity he did with his dad growing up. He now regularly commutes to work by bike. He has been training for the ride since last year, using the opportunity to cycle to different places around the UK and take trips with his son. To boost his fundraising efforts, Jonny has set up a fundraising page and has secured an incredible £1,000 for the charity. He is one of 180 riders taking part in this year’s challenge. This is one of the largest groups of participants in the event’s history.
Danae Leaman-Hill, Director of External Affairs and Development at Ambitious about Autism, said: “The scale of the Manchester to London ride reflects the scale of the challenge facing many autistic young people and their families. “We want to say an enormous thank you to Jonny for his rising to this challenge and taking on this incredible feat in aid of our work. Jonny’s commitment to raising both awareness and vital funds is inspiring and will make a real difference to the lives of autistic children and young people.”
For more information about Ambitious about Autism or to find out more about taking part in a challenge event in support of the charity’s work, please visit www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk or email fundraising@ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk.
