Appleford School JOGLE

The children have now broken up for the summer holidays after a wonderful Speech Day. The JOGLE Team all turned up in their team kit and rode into the marquee with so much pride. Harriet, who is also Deputy Head Girl, gave a beautiful speech about what the challenge meant and the journey they’ve all been on, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Later on, Jess shared her story too. My goodness, what impressive young ladies they are.

All the children were incredible. The spirit and commitment they’ve shown during the JOGLE is something they’re now carrying into their everyday lives. The GoFundMe even got another boost this week, thanks to a lovely shoutout from Made By Dyslexia and because of how inspiring the team were today.

Keep an ear out for the team on BBC Radio Wiltshire again next week. Just because the JOGLE is finished doesn’t mean this team is done showing the world that being neurodiverse is not a disability.

So proud of them

A few days on… and they’d do it all again!

It’s been a few days since our amazing students finished their epic ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End and you’d think they’d be done with cycling for a while… but almost every one of them has said they’d do the challenge again tomorrow if they could!

Normality has returned: it’s the last week of school now, sports day is coming up on Wednesday, speech day on Saturday, and then we’re into the long (and hopefully sunny!) summer holidays. One of our riders is even trying to convince their parents to take on the JOGLE themselves with a promise to train alongside them every mile of the way!

All the worry, nerves and ‘what ifs’ feel like a distant memory now. They did it and they’d do it again.

We’re still fundraising to help cover final costs and to make sure more students get the chance to do something this big, brave and life-changing. Every penny really does help keep the wheels turning for next time!

We’ll keep sharing photos and memories from the challenge, so keep an eye out!

If you’d like to support us, here’s our GoFundMe link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/1000mile-cycle-challenge-empowering-neurodiverse-students

Thank you to everyone who’s supported us, you made this possible. 🌟

They’re Home!

Yesterday afternoon, the whole school came out to welcome our amazing JOGLE team back like heroes and that’s exactly what they are. After 1,000 miles of grit, teamwork and courage, they rolled back through the gates to cheers, smiles and so much pride. Now they’re all at home recovering and taking in just what they’ve achieved.

One parent shared this with me and it sums it up perfectly:

“You just have to reflect on what you did here and how you helped make this happen. The kids and teachers will never forget this experience and now it’s something to build on. My son came home saying the team completed JOGLE, they did the whole thing. Now he’s thinking maybe he could do the next one. You have inspired me and the team have inspired my son, so thank you!”
This is what it’s all about. It’s so much more than the miles cycled, it’s the spark lit in every young person who watched them do it. They’ve shown what’s possible when you push through challenges and believe in yourself, and they’ve inspired the next generation to dream just as big.

And just to show the kind of spirit these young people have, one of the team went straight out to play golf when they got home and another headed off to Cadets. Just another evening after school.

We are now just £6 short of an incredible £8,000 on our GoFundMe. How amazing is that! Thank you to every single one of you who supported, donated, shared and cheered them on. The memories, confidence and friendships made on this journey will last a lifetime and it’s only the beginning.



https://gofund.me/73070557

Girl Power in Action!

Six of the eleven children who took on this epic challenge were girls, and three out of the seven staff were women. What an incredible testament to girl power.

One mum told me her daughter wasn’t sporty but wanted to give this a go… let’s just take a moment to appreciate that: “not sporty” and wanted to cycle 1000 miles! And yes, she did it!

I’m a mum of one of the boys, but as a woman I am so incredibly impressed by the grit and determination of these young ladies. They absolutely smashed it. At the finish line they looked like they’d just popped to the local shop for a pint of milk.

And a special shout-out to the amazing ladies who drove the vans, washed the clothes, kept our children safe and always had a hug ready when it was needed. I knew if my child ever needed a mum hug, there would have been one offered. (The boys were far too busy ribbing each other to miss their mothers anyway!)

So much respect. You’re all amazing!

Lands end realise what an amazing achievement it was!

🚴‍♂️✨ Yesterday afternoon, we were proud to welcome 12 incredible Neurodiverse students from Appleford School JOGLE completing their 1,000-mile cycle challenge from John O’Groats to Land’s End! An emotional and inspiring moment at the finish line - a huge WELL DONE to each and every one of them! 👏💪 Support their amazing journey and learn more here: 👉 https://www.gofundme.com/f/1000mile-cycle-challenge-empowering-neurodiverse-students #LandsEnd #CycleChallenge #Neurodiversity #1000Miles #JohnOGroatsToLandsEnd #Inspiration #Cornwall #LEJOG #JOGLE

They Did It! PART 2

What an amazing moment. Our incredible Appleford School team has finished their epic John O’Groats to Land’s End ride, cycling over 1,000 miles together.

These young people have shown us all what real teamwork, resilience and belief can do. They have proved that neurodiversity is a strength, not a barrier.

We all stood waiting at the finish line with bubbles, balloons and flags, full of excitement. Some parents arrived more than three hours early just to make sure they would not miss that special moment. When the team appeared, they were rocketing, pulled along by pure determination and the cheers that greeted them.

They did this for themselves, for each other and for everyone who needs a reminder that anything is possible when you have a team like this behind you.

Thank you to everyone who donated, supported and cheered them on every mile of the way. What a team!

THEY’VE DONE IT!

“One last photo before they hit the road. ‘Proud’ doesn’t even come close.”

Final Day!

It’s here. The last sunrise of this extraordinary journey. By the end of today, Abi, Ashleigh, Aubrey, Freya, Harriet, Jess, Lexx, Monty, Noah, Poppy, and Zac will roll triumphantly into Land’s End, completing over 1,000 miles, powered by pure determination, teamwork, and the unwavering belief that neurodiversity is not a barrier.

What a team. What an achievement.

They’ve climbed mountains, battled headwinds, fixed endless punctures and cycled through every type of weather the UK could throw at them. They’ve shown all of us what young people can achieve when they’re given trust, responsibility and the freedom to prove to themselves and the world, just how capable they are.

We started this journey to show that dyslexia, ADHD and other learning differences should never be seen as limits. This team have smashed that message home with every mile they’ve pedalled. We couldn’t be prouder.

By this afternoon, they will be standing at the famous Land’s End sign, exhausted but smiling, forever changed by what they have done together.

Please share their story one last time. Every penny you donate goes straight back into giving more students the chance to do something as life-changing as this.

Go Team Appleford. Bring it home!

https://gofund.me/7daef0f8

They’ve made it to Cornwall!

Our amazing JOGLE team have officially arrived in Cornwall and they are in such good spirits. We tried to catch up with them on Dartmoor today but they were moving so fast we couldn’t keep up. Eventually, we found them powering down the A30 at a fantastic pace.

Honestly, they looked like they had just popped out to the local shops. Not a bead of sweat, just smiles and that determined look of focus. It is truly awe-inspiring to see how far they have come, both in miles and in confidence.

Most of us parents are here now, waiting and already very emotional. It is hard to put into words just how incredible this whole adventure is. After supper tonight, we were not content until the two tables next to us knew absolutely everything about what these brilliant young people are doing. We just could not help ourselves.

Some parents have left some goodies and treats where they are staying tonight, but none of us want to disturb them. They deserve this last night together as a team. One more sleep and they will have done it.

Please keep them in your thoughts and keep cheering them on for this final push to Land’s End

Richard Branson Velo DomestiqueAbacus Vehicle HireTom Hayes MP BBC Breakfast This Morning

Day 13 Nearly There!

It’s all happening now! Parents are on their way down to Cornwall to cheer our amazing children over that finish line tomorrow. The celebration hall is booked, the food is cooked and ready to share, and the excitement is really building.

A huge thank you to Monty’s mum who took fresh food for the children last night so the staff didn’t have to cook after a huge day in the saddle. They cycled for over 10 hours yesterday in temperatures above 28°C, not finishing until 8.45pm. Absolute heroes, every single one of them.

Photos and Instagram updates from camp are a bit quiet at the moment, but we know why, the team’s priority is to get everyone safely to the end, and that’s exactly how it should be.

It’s incredible to pause and look at what they’ve achieved. They have travelled 880 miles, with just 120 to go. Imagine saying, “Only another 120 miles to go” like it’s nothing, amazing!

We are so in awe of this group of students. They committed to this challenge right from the start, training through the winter, getting up at 6am on weekends, giving up Easter, even appearing on the radio at 5am to spread the word.

Many of us have seen our children’s confidence grow so much. They now know what it feels like to work hard for something and see it through — not a bad life lesson at all.

Today they head to Tremore in Cornwall and tomorrow they reach Land’s End. The finish line is so close now. Thank you for every bit of support you’ve given to get them here, you’ve helped make this possible every mile of the way.

And alongside every pedal stroke, your support has been just as incredible. The GoFundMe total has now passed £7,000 and is still rising, an amazing testament to how many people believe in these young people and what they’re doing. Every donation really does make a difference and keeps this whole adventure rolling.

One last big push! Whoop whoop!

https://gofund.me/9f02dbdb