Anne Jones’ Mount Ventoux Challenge
Wednesday 15th May, 2024

Last summer, Anne Jones and Amos’ Chris Rose were cycling the hilly lanes of South Wales as part of the Big Ride for Palestine.

On this annual multi-day ride, 250 cyclists from across the UK unite in solidarity with Palestinians. Anne turned to Chris and said, “Do you ever cycle in France? I have a dream of cycling up Mont Ventoux.” That was it — a plan was hatched to cycle ‘the beast of Provence’ together.

Watching the genocide and humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza, Anne decided to undertake this challenge to support Amos Trust’s Gazan partners, including the Gaza Sunbirds para-cycling team, who are supporting their communities as they face forced displacement, starvation and insurmountable loss, by providing vital food, medical and therapeutic support. 

Anne Jones

Solidarity: Anne Jones and Meg Williams from Amos Trust
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“This May, I am cycling up the mighty Mount Ventoux, ‘the beast of Provence’, because the suffering of the children and their families in Gaza is too terrible to witness.

It’s a 20.8km uphill bike ride with 1,594 vertical metres of climbing at an average gradient of 7.5%. The last 5 kilometres are above the tree line and very blowy. In fact, Ventoux means ‘windy’, and the powerful mistral of southern France beats this area up to 130 days a year.

It might sound quite mad to do this at 82, but I am very lucky to be blessed with good health and strength, and I would rather use my time this way than wring my hands in despair and anguish. 

11,000 Palestinian children killed is 11,000 too many, just as each Israeli killed is one too many. I protest as I can at this slaughter in full view of the world, so I am undertaking this challenge to raise funds for some kind of physical healing of the wounds and the emotional trauma. I am pleased to undertake this for Amos Trust.

It might sound quite mad to do this at 82, but I am very lucky to be blessed with good health and strength, and I would rather use my time this way than wring my hands in despair and anguish. 

I want to raise a minimum of £100 for every year of my life — but imagine if I could raise £200 for each year! That would be unbelievable. I am raising funds for Amos Trust’s partners in Gaza: the Al Ahli ‘Baptist’ Hospital, a youth trauma programme and the Gaza Sunbirds para-cycling team, which is now distributing aid to its communities on bikes. 

I am very grateful for the support from Meg and Chris, who will accompany me as I take on this challenge. I have cycled with them both before. They will be there to support me as I climb. I know the money raised will go to the right places where it is desperately needed.”

Read an update about Amos Trust’s emergency appeal for Gaza.

About the ride

Iconic route: This Ventoux climb is one of the most challenging in the Tour de France
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There are three ways to ascend Ventoux, but it’s the iconic route up from Bedoin, which Anne will be taking, supported by Meg and Chris. This climb is one of the most challenging in the Tour de France; at 21.5km, you ascend 1579m with an average gradient of 7.4%, although, for an 8km stretch, it is over 9% with the last 1.5km at 10%.

The first 3/4s of the ascent are through a peaceful forest, but the ride becomes especially difficult during the last 5km as you approach the moon-like summit — the ‘Giant of Provence’, which is 1,909m high and often windswept. Visible from all directions, it stands alone and towers over Provence.

If you would like to support Anne as she rides the ‘Beast of Provence’ for the people of Gaza, please click here to make a donation.