1600 km Cycle for the East End

The Heritage of London Trust is thrilled to announce that in early summer 2008 two of our members, Liz Harwood and Robin Key, will be undertaking a charity cycle ride from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats in Scotland in aid of the Trust. Their route will take them from one end of the British Isles to the other and will cover 1600 km (see map for proposed route). They will undertake this momentous journey completely on their own – there will be NO support team following them, and they’ll be sleeping under the stars or in campsites as they journey along country roads and through some of the United Kingdom’s most splendid landscapes and scenery. Their journey is expected to take 3 weeks.


Robin & Liz in front of St John’s Bethnal Green, a church designed by Sir John Soane - one of our many projects in the East End.

Robin & Liz have undertaken two major charity events in the past – a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and a Coast to Coast walk. This year they will be cycling to highlight awareness of the Heritage of London Trust and the vital work we do to ensure that London’s unique historic buildings are used and enjoyed by local communities. In particular, Liz and Robin have decided to raise money specifically to help our projects in the East End and Olympic boroughs. These areas of London are among the most deprived in the country. Many of the lesser known historic buildings in the East End house vital facilities and services for local people. While the Olympics will bring much-needed regeneration to the East End, these historic buildings are not likely to benefit directly.


Hackney Downs Baptist Church, offers a breakfast club for local children and hopes to offer further facilities for the disabled and elderly once restoration is completed.

Please help HOLT and the historic fabric of the East End by making a pledge towards Liz & Robin’s epic journey. You can make a pledge online at: www.justgiving.com/lizandrobincycleride Alternatively you can send a cheque, made payable to the “Heritage of London Trust” to our office – please state that your donation is towards the “Cycle for the East End”. As the ride is solely funded by Liz and Robin, all donations will go directly towards helping restore historic buildings and monuments in the East End of London.

PDF document Download "Cycling for the City" article from Country Life magazine


Bromley Hall, Bromley-by-Bow. On the Blackwall Tunnel Approach road, it is all that remains of a Tudor Manor House which was the meeting place of Henry VIII and his mistress Bessie Blount.