About this campaign

It's happening again! For the last 4 years, I have joined a group of cyclists exercising their will-power, thigh-power and their brakes in a sponsored cycle from London to Athens, fundraising for refugees in Greece. We have raised over £300,000 for Help Refugees, a humanitarian co-operative foundation in Athens providing services for refugees forced from their homes by war, poverty and climate change.

More work still needs to be done, so once again I am getting back in the saddle, this time cycling from London to Bratislava, cycling not once but twice over the Alps.

On a personal note, 80 years ago, my grandfather, Sepp Schicker, did the same journey but in reverse, cycling over the Alps, fleeing from Vienna as a refugee in the Second World War. There are currently millions of people, who like my grandfather, have fled their homes due to conflict and persecution. 42,000 are stuck in camps on Greek islands and more than 3 million are trapped in Turkey, in increasingly horrifying conditions.

If you could spare money, it would go to a really great, important cause. Any donations no matter how large or small would be greatly appreciated! I cover all my own costs, so all money raised will go directly to Khora.

Many thanks,
Joe and the rest of the Thighs of Steel team!