We – Kat & Till Sommer – will take part in Herne Hill Velodrome’s Festive500 challenge on 27-28 December 2023, riding 1112 laps of the velodrome on a tandem(!), in memory of Till’s mum Heike, to raise money for Peckham-based charity Intoart.
After the shock of Heike’s passing in April 2023, we wanted to do something meaningful in her memory – this just felt right, because:
Heike was everything a mum (and mother-in-law) should be: supportive, kind, and full of colour and creativity. She also loved art in all its forms, and found escape, peace and happiness in painting, pottery, sewing and more. She designed our wedding invite, Kat wears clothes she made, and Till now has a tattoo that incorporates her drawings.
Intoart was set up in 2000 with the vision for people with learning disabilities to be visible, equal and established artists and designs. It challenges the under-representation of people with learning disabilities through its programme of art education, professional development and innovative public programming. We are convinced that Heike would have loved Intoart’s vision and got fully behind its work to make the beauty of (creating) art accessible for those who might not otherwise experience it.
Cycling and Herne Hill Velodrome have played a big part in our lives: our honeymoon included riding up Haleakala on Maui, and the velodrome is very much our happy place.
And finally, 500km on a tandem justifies us asking people for money. Till’s long-held view is that he shouldn’t raise money for doing something he would do anyways (like riding his bike). Hence the need for a proper challenge. And because the distance (500km) alone wasn’t challenging enough, never mind the fact Kat’s not been back ON the track since her crash in 2022, we thought we’d also put our marriage to the test in the process by doing it on a tandem…
Please give generously as we embark on this folly, so Intoart can allow more people with learning disabilities to find the same joy in art that Till’s mum Heike did throughout her life.
