Between October 31st and November 12th 2021, world leaders are gathering in Glasgow for COP26. This event is the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference and the first time that countries are expected to commit to enhanced ambition on tackling the climate crisis since COP21 (The Paris Agreement). In short, at COP26 the world’s leaders will make decisions that will shape the future of our planet. This is their last chance to take meaningful action for the benefit of humankind’s future.
Leap’s founder Matt Hocking is riding to Glasgow with over 100 cyclists, taking a message of climate action to those leaders. Leaving London on October 24th, Ride The Change will cover around 60 miles each day, arriving in Glasgow seven days and more than 475 miles later in time for the start of COP26.
As part of this, Matt is asking for your support. He’s raising actions not cash, asking for supporters to make a personal climate pledge – committing to trying a simple action in every day life for the next two months. There are fifty actions to choose from, ranging from the priority actions like switching to a green energy supplier or making meat a treat, through to putting a lid on your saucepans or cutting back on sugar. You can pledge as many as you like.
“My hope alongside the 475 miles of cycling is to raise 500+ pledge actions and micro carbon reduction measures. Like cycling, this is good for us and the planet and good for our pocket as it costs nothing more than time and physical energy. I’d love the people and businesses of Cornwall to get behind me as I represent our incredible county and opportunity for the future.”
You can support Matt by pledging a climate action here.
Here at Leap we’ll also be riding with Matt in spirit, having installed a turbo-trainer static bike in our Truro studio. The team will be taking it in turns to ride whilst at the studio over the course of the Ride For Change. You can follow both Matt’s and the team’s progress on our Instagram stories each day at @madebyleap.
For those of you reading this who live on or near the route or daily destinations, if you’re able to cheer a few riders along their way or join them all at the evening events that they’ll be attending, your physical support would also be greatly appreciated!
Day 1 – Oct 24th – London Oxford
Day 2 – Oct 25th – Oxford to Coventry
Day 3 – Oct 26th – Coventry to Stoke-on-Trent
Day 4 – Oct 27th – Stoke-on-Trent to Preston
Day 5 – Oct 28th – Preston – Penrith
Day 6 – Oct 29th – Penrith – Dumfries (for the Adventure Uncovered Film Festival)
Day 7 – Oct 30th – Dumfries – East Kilbride
Day 8 – Oct 31st – East Kilbride to Glasgow (COP26!)
*Thanks to photographer Marco Danieli for the press photos of Matt, captured at Charlestown Harbour during his training.