SUMMARYI'm Mark Coburn and I recently did a 1500-mile cycling trip from Rome to Glasgow, raising just over £14,000 for local yes groups. After a multitude of requests I have decided to do another trip, this time here in Scotland. This one will see me do 500 miles in just 5 days to raise £5,350 for 10 local campaign bases (see map above for route). Experienced campaigners will know that a base can make such a difference to a local campaign.
Should I be fortunate enough to break my target I will donate any excess to the Maryhill Foodbank. (Please read here: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/food-bank-is...)
Here's a video of me explaining the route, the groups and a bit about the Foodbank: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaJgaBBseOk
What We Need & What You Get
The purpose of this 500 mile bike run is to set up 10 campaign bases.
The target of £5,350 can be broken down as follows: each Yes group nominated below will receive £500 each to open premises (10x£500 = £5,000) and the £350 will cover the indiegogo fee (5% if target is met. 9% if not!)
I have also decided to make this a dual-purpose fundraiser. Initially it started off as a fundraiser for 10 local yes campaign bases but, as I've said above, any excess funds will go directly to the Maryhill Foodbank.
NB There's no Paypal facility as that requires another fee and a business account which I don't have. Plus, fees, fees, fees. No. Let's keep it minimal.
And, if you're donating from outside the UK we ask you don't exceed £500 in total as that wouldn't be a 'permissable donation'.
The Yes groups and dates are as follows:
Day 1: Thursday 10/07/2014
Route: Glasgow - Galashiels - Edinburgh (100 miles)
1) Yes Hawick (whose campaign base will also serve local yes groups in Galashiels, Kelso, Jedburgh).
2) Yes Edinburgh East (this campaign base will cover areas including Burdiehouse, Craigmillar and Niddrie)
3) Yes Edinburgh Southern (this campaign base will also cover areas such as Newington, Prestonfields, The Inch and Shandon).
Day 2: Friday 11/07/2014
Glasgow - Rosyth - Burntisland - Cardenden - Forfar (100 miles)
4) Yes Rosyth (this campaign base will also cover Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay and North Queensferry).
5) Yes Burntisland (this campaign base will also cover Kinghorn, Auchtertool, Seafield, Invertiel and Raith)
6) Yes Cardenden (this campaign base will also cover Lochgelly, Kinglassie, Ballingarry and Cowdenbeath).
Day 3: Saturday 12/07/2014
Forfar - Aberdeen - Huntly
7) Yes Aberdeen
Day 4: Sunday 13/07/2014
Huntly - Inverness - Fort William
Day 5: Monday 14/7/2014
Fort William - Glasgow
8) Yes West Dunbartonshire (the base will be in Clydebank and will cover Ballock, Dumbarton and the outer lying villages).
9) Yes Renfrew (the base will also cover Inchinnan, Erskine, Bishopton, Houston & Bridge of Weir)
10) Yes Provan (Provan requires a base specifically to be set up in Easterhouse to cover Easterhouse itself, Garthamlock, Ruchazie, Cranhill and Wellhouse). I have a particular desire to see this happen because Provan is Scotland's (and perhaps Britain's) poorest constituency.
I will finish my tour here.
Perks? The only perk I'm interested in is independence. How's that for a perk!
The Impact
For those who are already involved in the campaign I really don't need to explain how much of an impact a campaign base can have. They already know.
For those who don't, having a campaign base means that there is a central hub from which activists can operate especially in the last 6 weeks of the campaign. Bases/Shops can be used as: a meeting point for activists; an organisational base for planned canvass sessions; a focal point for the general public to drop in to ask questions and even (if large enough) somewhere to hold public events.
The Maryhill Foodbank was a late addition to this cause as I am disgusted by the fact that foodbanks actually exist.
Risks & Challenges
Risks? Injuries.
Challenges? Never done over 100 miles in a day but I am going to do 500 in 5 days. It will be hell but, legs and lungs must burn.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you cannot contribute then please at least tweet, re-tweet, share, share and share again this fundraiser all over social media, especially on Facebook and Twitter. Tell everyone about it. This target needs to be broken.
We. Will. Win!