Having realized that it was high time to put our legs to the test for the Dunwich Dynamo, a group of friends went on a fantastic cycle to Box Hill on Saturday. We couldn’t have picked a better day for it, and it was great fun all around – although our sunny, 50-mile, six-hour pedal isn’t a scratch on the 120-mile overnight ride that awaits. We will definitely need the motivation of your sponsorship to push us through the pain (like the unsubtle plug?!).

Towards the end of the ride, one friend raised a fairly provocative question: “Three years after starting The DoNation, do I still believe that the environment is the most important cause for us to tackle? Do I not think it’s a slightly middle class issue, and that there are perhaps more important things for us to focus on?”

Well, my immediate response was that of course my view hasn’t changed. Whilst prioritizing environmental action may be a preserve of the middle classes, it’s definitely not just the middle classes who’ll be affected if we don’t do anything. If we don’t do anything then there’s only going to be more disease, more natural disasters, more famine, more refugees, and more conflict.

So yes, without wanting to sound too melodramatic or depressing, I do still wholeheartedly believe that taking care of our environment is the most important issue of our time.

However, her question made me realise that my primary motivation and driving force behind The DoNation isn’t so much about trying to tackle the environment any more; it’s about showing people the difference that they can make. It’s about showing people that they can play an active role in making the world a better place. It’s about showing people that there’s so much more they can do than just digging into their pocket. And it’s about showing people that their small actions do add up, and that the change starts at home.

So, as we gear up for the Dunwich Dynamo and start raising more support, lets bear that in mind. Getting this message across to potential sponsors is really important: explaining why their action matters, showing them what they can do, and getting them excited about being part of a movement that creates real change.