Right, now we have your attention with what has to be the best maiden.com pun yet (just joking about the 'ancient' bit Rod!!), please take a moment to check out the details of a very worthwhile charity event, the Kenya Bike-Away, which Rod Smallwood is taking part in.

This Sunday, 18 February, Rod will be setting off with 99 others for Kenya to undertake what is likely to be one of the most painful experiences of his life - cycling 350 miles in 6 days across the Masai Trail and the Mountains! Camping out each night - not a pub in sight - and then setting off at 8am each morning for, so the organisers say, some 8 hours in the saddle!

All this pain and discomfort is for a fundraising event in aid of the charity SCOPE. Scope is the largest charity in the UK working with disabled people and their families. (Further details of the charity are available from www.scope.org.uk)

The Kenya Bike-Away event is to help people with cerebral palsy. Every six hours a baby is born in Britain with cerebral palsy. It can happen to any child.

The fundraising is based on a pledge and is to be raised in advance of the ride. Rod has pledged to raise £20,000 and tells us he's getting close to this. He has donated £1,500 himself to ensure the cost of his partaking in the challenge is more than covered and so all contributions go direct to the charity.

If you would like to support this very worthwhile event by sponsoring Rod's 350 mile cycle, kindly send your donation by (UK sterling) cheque for whatever sum you may consider appropriate to SCOPE DONATIONS, c/o Iron Maiden .Com Ltd, PO Box 666, London, W14 OYU. Please ensure all cheques are made payable to "SCOPE" and include your return address on the back of the envelope.

Thanks in advance from Rod and I'm sure we all wish him the best of luck for a safe and successful trip!!

PS.

If you fancy taking up a similar challenge Scope are organising a Mountain Bike Challenge in the French Alps in June and a Peru Hike in September.
There are also places available still for the New York City Marathon in November. For more information, please call 0800 019 1200.