This August, Marcus Atkinson, Head of Partnerships and Engagement at the RSA, is taking on a 5 day, 1,500km cycling challenge in support of The Launchpad Collective, a UK-based social enterprise that supports refugees to rebuild their lives through meaningful employment.
The Launchpad Collective works to ensure that people with refugee experience are not only welcomed but empowered to thrive, through dignified work, supportive networks, and community inclusion.
Marcus’s journey is a personal one, both physically and emotionally. Reflecting on the ride and the reasons behind it, he writes:
“Back in October 2024, when I agreed to do the ride, 1,500km in 5 days didn’t sound all that far. Now that the start date is looming (and now I’ve done the basic maths), I’m realising just how far it is — and I’ll be honest, I’m feeling a little panicked.
I know wouldn’t be able to do this without the remembering the cause I’m doing it for — which is what I’ll be clinging to when things get tough – I’ll be remembering that, with all the turmoil and conflict in the world, how I often feel overwhelmed and helpless and unsure how to make any meaningful difference. And that this challenge provides me, in a small way, the opportunity to act and to express my solidarity, and to support an organisation that helps people rebuild after unimaginable loss.
I’ll also be remembering that in my own family, the legacy of war runs deep — my mother was orphaned in WWII, at age five, one of only two survivors in her family, and I’ve grown up with a profound awareness of how conflict tears lives apart, and what the yearning to know the people we lost fees like — the people my mother barely had the chance to know herself, and whose physical being and traces were wholly and completely obliterated in the fires of war.”
Marcus isn’t asking you for sponsorship (although, if you feel able to, he of course welcomes all donations), but more importantly, Marcus would warmly welcome anyone who wishes to share the story and support the visibility of The Launchpad Collective’s work. If you’d like to, you can follow Marcus’ progress live (we will share the link later), and if you see him flagging, send him a message of encouragement.
You can read more about the ride and the cause here: https://localgiving.org/fundraising/1500km-by-bicycle