Cal Gorvy recently finished up junior school at The Hall. On his final day, Cal decided to run a fundraising event for Qhubeka. In a letter to his classmates and their parents, he wrote that he wanted to help some of the children he’d met in South Africa, so that they too could have an opportunity to get an education.
“One of the girls I met used to walk three hours to school every day, now with a Qhubeka bicycle she can lower her daily commute to just one hour,” he wrote. “She now has time to get to school on time and do homework whilst still fulfilling her family obligations of daily household chores.”
In the year of his 13th birthday, he targeted providing 13 buffalos. “I gave a presentation about Qhubeka and World Bicycle Relief last Wednesday in assembly and afterwards  signed up boys and teachers for timed slots on the two bikes either side of my bike as I rode for 6 hours the next day in the Pit,” he wrote afterwards. “We arrived at 7:45 in order to set in time for Mr Buss at 8:00. Due to technical difficulties we had only managed to set up two bikes for Mr Buss who set an early fast time to the loyal support of a crowd of watching boys. After assembly boys started arriving at 10:00 for the first timed slots with Jonah Poulard taking an early lead.
“Mr North had kindly set up three screens with me the day before so that each rider could follow themselves via the Zwift online interface measuring your distance, power output and time. It also animated you as a rider riding a course alongside other riders around the world which the boys really enjoyed as well.
“Things continued strongly with a number of middle school boys participating through their break as well as a large number of snacks and drinks selling to those who hadn’t booked in a slot. Given the South African charity focus, we had a number of South African snacks including biltong and cream soda which the boys who had been on the South African music tour all remembered. Bruno Fullone went top of the leaderboard just before lunch. Miss Duncan (in her high heels and skirt), Miss Luck (in her games kit), Mr Cottam, Mr Wilson and Mr Kane all participated after school.
“Over 70 boys enthusiastically participated in this initiative which was a fantastic response. It also made the time pass really quickly for me. I cycled six hours on the middle bike with friends jumping on and off the ones on either side.
“Thanks to all your generous support I have been able to raise £1,822 of my target of £1,850 to be able to provide 13 bikes to our peer group in South Africa to cycle to their own school and get themselves an education – thus having a ‘hand up not a hand out’.
“Thanks you so much for all your donations and letting your sons participate in this  fantastic event. It was a fun and meaningful way to round off my last day at The Hall and I can’t think of a better way to spend it.”
Thank you, Cal, from Qhubeka and the children whose bicycles you have funded!