Elizabeth Mason

I’m Liz Mason and I am a Midwife and Lactation Consultant, working for Hull + E.Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust as the Infant Feeding Coordinator.

Last November, over breakfast at the Baby Friendly Initiative’s annual conference, Alison Baum casually enquired whether I would like to join Best Beginnings in their Sponsored Bike Ride from London to Paris in September 2010 to help raise the necessary funds to take forward Best Beginnings next projects

Much to the surprise of my colleagues who attended the conference with me, I actually said, "Do you know, that would be a really great thing to accomplish – I’ll think about it."

So I thought and I thought and before I knew it, I had signed up with Weight Watchers and taken up four to six mile power walks three times a week from January 2010 to improve my fitness.

I have lost over a stone in weight and last week a colleague kindly lent me her bike to begin cycle training. I hadn’t done any cycling for decades so I did wonder if I could still manage to multitask balance, gears, brakes and direction!! Fortunately, I live just 1 mile from the Humber Bridge in E.Yorkshire, so I am using its cycle path as a training venue to begin with and am already achieving 18 miles – the saddle has been changed for a ‘gel filled’ one and the next purchase will be ‘gel reinforced’ cycle shorts!!!!

I’m on my way and although there’s a long way to go, as I need to be able to complete 200 miles over 3 days, I am motivated and invigorated – you could say ‘pumped up’!!

I am hoping, that as well as friends, family and work colleagues in Hull + E.Yorkshire, my cycle challenge will attract sponsorship from many of the mothers locally, who have been helped to breastfeed successfully.

In addition, maybe parents who have had their baby cared for on the Women + Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Unit, will also support me because Best Beginnings current project requiring funding, is to produce a DVD which will be partially filmed in Hull and which will provide insight and support to parents who are facing anxious times while their baby is nurtured towards good health following a premature birth or sickness.

I really hope that my nine-month preparation which for me at least, is the challenge of a lifetime, will result in helping Best Beginnings continue their very valuable work.

Related Topics elizabeth mason, bike ride, london to paris