Paul Bongiovanni

Please support my Ambitious challenge!

Hello you beautiful human being! Thank you for making your way to my fundraising page. That already means so much.

As you may know, last summer I cycled the longest ride of my life, 220miles // 352km from Manchester to London in a single day. I was in the saddle for over 13 hours, finally arriving exhausted but proud into Archway in London as the sun dropped below the horizon.

In June 2026, I’m riding again, I’m going deep, pushing beyond my limits, and attempting to ride much faster than I did last year, to experience discomfort that I wouldn’t normally feel. Why? Well, I’m raising much needed funds for a charity called Ambitious About Autism. A national charity that provides specialist education and support services for autistic children and young people, campaigns to improve their rights and inclusion, and offers employment and online community programmes.

Every single £ raised boosts me along this huge ride, and helps autistic young people find their place in this increasingly fast moving and cruel world.

*How your support can make a difference*

£5 could help parents and carers experiencing challenging situations access vital information and support through AAA's Talk about Autism online platform. 

£10 could buy seeds and gardening equipment for AAA's horticulture programme. The ‘Seed to Sell’ initiative helps autistic children and young people enjoy time outdoors and develop their entrepreneurial spirit.

£25 could reduce loneliness and isolation through an autistic young person accessing a special interest group through the Ambitious Youth Network.

£50 could support a family in crisis. AAA's family support team provide telephone advice and guidance on welfare, health, and legal matters.

£100 could provide autistic young people with one-to-one careers information and guidance. With very few autistic people in employment, providing this support is vital to accessing the workplace.

Don't forget that adding Gift Aid means the Government add a whopping extra 25% to your donation, for free!

I have covered the cost of the ride for myself, so the charity benefits from every part of the donation.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you, I carry all your support with me 🫶🏼❤️ Every early morning training ride, every time my body screams at me to stop, I’ll think of your donations and support.

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Update 3rd February

£1,000 reached — thank you.

This ride is deliberately extreme: 220 miles in one day, no shortcuts, no split stages.

Ambitious About Autism supports autistic children and young people by helping them access education, build independence, and move towards employment and adulthood with confidence.

£1,000 was the minimum needed to make this challenge meaningful — we’ve reached that.
From here on, every single donation directly increases the impact. As we so very nearly reached £5000 in 2025, let's see if we can top that. My promise to you is that I'll put my absolute all into training and completing this challenge with all the skill and panache I can muster. 

If you’re able to donate, thank you — and if not, sharing the page helps just as much.