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Charity Cycle Challenge Diary

The 5 of us, supporting Rose Road, cycled together for much of the first session until we reached our first water, banana & energy bar stop after a couple of hours just outside Tonbridge. A brief rest and we were soon on our way as the sun was starting to shine but wind began to pick up and we reached Bethersden, near Ashford for our lunch break.

The organisers certainly knew they had to feed us well for lunch as we burn a lot of calories out on the road and they did not disappoint!  I always did like my food hence the need to exercise!

Refuelled, we set off east and as we had made good progress we were at the afternoon 'fuel' stop (77 miles) before the support vehicle, so took some photos and pressed on knowing that if we got to Dover early we could have a good break in the afternoon sunshine.

Arrived in Dover by about 4.15 p.m. and the ferry was not due to leave until 6.15 p.m. so Laurence searched out the local seafront cafe and we sat down to pasties (2 for Laurence!) tea and coffee. A little bit of a breeze on the coast but we had enjoyed good weather for our first 93 miles.

Day 2 - Calais to Arras

Set the alarm for 7.00 a.m. as the organisers wanted everyone breakfasted and on the road by 8.00 a.m. to provide sufficient time for all abilities to achieve the second day of 82 miles after a long first day. A few moans and groans about tender 'regions' but everyone seemed in good spirits and the weather forecast looked good with dry sunny periods but getting windier.

Once out of Calais we were on to minor roads in the French countryside remembering to cycle on the right and after about 10 miles the aches and pains seemed to ease and we were maintaining a steady pace.

Whilst not fast cyclists we had worked out that the 'Rose Roadies' were in the quicker groups of cyclists so set off and went along at a pace that we were comfortable with.

Laurence and I had pressed on ahead of our other team members and that was when the 'Italian Stallion' decided he was going to bomb past us.
Laurence decided otherwise and sat on his back wheel with me behind and suddenly we were pushing it a bit.

The Italian tried to burn us off and to his surprise (he was much younger) Laurence blew him away on the next big climb. I pushed on about 100 metres behind at a reasonable pace.

Shortly the 3 of us and one cyclist ahead of us had arrived first for lunch so we laid out in the sunshine and ate a blueberry muffin, crisps (needed the salt), an apple and satsuma for an energy shot before lunch was served once a sufficient number of cyclists arrived. The remaining Rose Roadies arrived early for lunch which put the whole team at ease.

Another beautiful but windy day enabled us to take 2 hours for lunch whilst other cyclists arrived to rest and eat.

We set off for the afternoon session and felt comfortable, if somewhat tired by the time we reached Arras late afternoon.

Day 3 - Arras to Compiegne

Supposed to be another early start of 8.00 a.m. but the queue at breakfast was very long as hotel was not organised well for 130 cyclists! However, we were all out on the road by 8.45 a.m. to get out of a busy town.

A slower start to the day to get the joints working again and after a few complaints about various ailments we settled in to a steady pace. We mainly had the wind behind us or across us which was no bad thing. There is nothing worse than cycling head on into a wind so counted our blessings.

A lovely countryside route along rural minor roads running parallel to the A1 E15 – E19 autoroute all the way to Compiegne. We arrived quite early in the afternoon which enabled an hour of relaxation in the sunshine followed by a couple of beers before dinner. Quite a tough day with a few climbs and 80 miles travelled.

After dinner, the 2 youngsters (Ash & Andy) hit the sack whilst Laurence, Phil and I walked into town for a relaxing beer. The walk helped ease the legs out ready for the final day.

Day 4 – Compiegne to Paris

The slower cyclists headed off after an early breakfast whilst Laurence, Phil and I had an extra hour in bed!

The wind was behind us blowing us along –good news. Only one big climb today and then it was an easy run into the lunch stop after about 50 miles.

We agreed that Rose Roadies would cycle together for the remaining 25 miles and had time to stop off for a beer en route to the park at St Denis, around 3 miles from Eiffel Tower where everyone gathered for the final peloton slow group cycle to take in the atmosphere past the Arc de Triumph, along the Champs Elysée and to the Eiffel Tower. Absolutely fantastic atmosphere capped by the elation of finishing followed by a celebration dinner and drinking in the bar until 4.30 a.m. capped off a wonderful trip!!

An achievable challenge for all abilities with the desire and commitment the ride was well organised but the good weather helped massively. Contact EmmaDeabill@roseroad.org  if you would like to support their Change My Life appeal by cycling in next year’s ride.

Changes to LLP Regulations

These changes come in to force from 1 October 2009, some further provisions of the CA 2006 will apply to LLP Regulations. These include: The requirement to maintain a register of members, which means that from 1 October, all LLP must keep available for inspection a register of members containing certain particulars, including a service address for each individual member and whether a member is a designated member. Like companies, LLPs must but disclose a member’s residential address (except to Companies House) without a court order. From 1 October, LLP members (like company directors) can submit forms providing service addresses (as opposed to residential addresses). Companies House will be unable to accept online filings from LLP members, but the new hard copy forms will be made available (in final form) on the Co House website at least a week in advance of 1 October. From 1 October there will be changes to the arrangement for inspecting company and LLP registers. These registers may be held at the registered office address, or at a Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL). You must notify Co House if you set up a SAIL address or if the SAIL address is moved. You may only have one SAIL address for a company or LLP at a time. Forms for the SAIL address can be obtained from Co House website again.

Companies House Changes

Additional Paternity Leave and Pay

The government has announced its intention to introduce Additional Paternity Leave and Pay for fathers of children due on or after 3 April 2011. The government will consult shortly on new regulations that will give families greater flexibility in how they choose to look after their children.

As detailed in the press release:

• Families will have the choice to transfer up to six months leave to the father should they want to, which can be taken by the father once the mother has returned to work.
• This new provision will be available during the second six months of the child’s life, giving parents the option of dividing a period of paid leave entitlement between them.
• Some of the leave may be paid if taken during the mother’s 39 week maternity pay period. This would be paid at the same rate as Statutory Maternity Pay (generally £123.06 per week).
• Parents will be required to ‘self certify’ by providing details of their eligibility to their employer. Employers and HMRC will both be able to carry out further checks of entitlement if necessary.

Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, said:

“Mothers will be able to choose to transfer the last six months of their maternity leave to the father, with three months paid. This gives families radically more choice and flexibility in how they balance work and care of children, and enables fathers to play a bigger part in bringing up their children.”

Internet links: HMRC guidance and Press release

National Minimum Wage Increases

Pay For Apprentices

From 1 August 2009 the minimum wage for apprentices increased from £80 to £95 per week. The Low Pay Commission is to consider whether or not apprentice pay should come under the umbrella of the National Minimum Wage regulations. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has raised concerns about increasing the minimum wage level significantly. According to their press release, and in reaction to youth unemployment reaching its highest level since records began, Katja Hall, CBI Director of Employment Policy, said:

“The rising level of youth unemployment is alarming and we cannot afford to lose a generation of young people. Apprenticeships are an excellent path to employment but their availability would be constrained if a minimum wage was set too high.”

“Young people must not be priced out of apprenticeships in a difficult jobs market. If apprentices join the national minimum wage system they must do so at the right level and in a way that employers can understand.”

Internet link: Press release

Online Filing Of Corporation Tax Returns

Companies House has also announced that it will accept company accounts in XBRL, the same format as the CT returns. Companies House will introduce their XBRL service for unaudited full accounts by the summer of 2010, and then continue to develop their XBRL capability for all the main types of accounts they receive.

HMRC’s new XBRL service will be available from November 2009.

Internet link: HMRC and Companies House statement

Online Filing Of VAT Returns

HMRC are advising businesses that new rules on how VAT returns are submitted and payments are made will come into force next year. Paper VAT returns will be phased out from 1 April 2010. As a start of this phasing out process, businesses with: VAT (exclusive) annual turnover of £100,000 or more, and   all newly registered VAT businesses

will need to submit their VAT returns online and make payments electronically from April 2010. Those businesses that are already VAT registered, with a turnover below the threshold, will have the choice to use paper returns but this will be reviewed by 2012.

Please do get in touch if you would like any further advice in this area.

Internet link: HMRC VAT

Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility

New UK Border Agency Controls

The government has announced new measures which should enable resident workers to have every opportunity to fill vacancies before they are offered to workers abroad. The government has accepted the recommendations made last month by the Migration Advisory Committee to tighten the rules controlling when skilled workers are allowed to apply for jobs in the United Kingdom under the government's points-based system.

The changes to the rules will mean that, from next year, all jobs must be advertised to British workers in Jobcentre Plus for four weeks (extended from two weeks) before employers can employ individuals from outside Europe.

Other changes include increasing the length of service requirements for overseas workers who want to transfer to the UK and increasing the minimum salary level for a post to qualify as skilled to £20,000 (currently £17,000).

For more details of the changes visit the link below.

Internet link: UKBA news article

HMRC Warn Of More Scam Emails

For more information on this and other scams together with a copy of the latest example visit the links below.

Internet links: HMRC guidance and Latest example