Wanted: Adventurous Families With A Story To Tell

Are you part of a family that enjoys independent travel? If so, we'd like to hear from you.

The Family Adventure Project is a scheme to promote independent family adventure. Right now we are researching a book of real-life stories about families that take on challenging journeys together. We're also developing a web site to offer information, advice and inspirational stories about family adventure.

We want to get in touch with anyone who has an interesting story to tell about the up's, down's, benefits, challenges and practicalities of family adventure. Our aim is to capture and publish the very best of these stories on the web and in print as a source of inspiration and guidance to other families.

We're looking for stories from different countries and cultures, about extended periods of family travel anywhere in the world, using independent means. So, whether you're a family that boats, bikes, hikes, skis, rides or motors, we'd love to hear from you if you have a story to tell. Drop us an email with your details to mail@familyonabike.org or fill in our online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=51005471877

Or, if you know someone else who fits the bill, please pass this message on, and ask them to get in touch.

If you'd like to know more about the project then visit our web site: www.familyadventureproject.org

Family on a Bike
Promoting independent family adventure
www.familyadventureproject.org
mail@familyonabike.org

Note for Editors:

The Family Adventure Project is a scheme to promote independent family adventure by publishing inspiring stories of extraordinary journeys; and building an online resource of stories, information, advice, and useful contacts. Through this the project aims to encourage more families to get out and about together and live more adventurously.

The project currently has six strands.

• Inspirational Stories: a growing collection of stories to help people learn how families adventure together, discover what they get from it, and glimpse what's possible. Tales of adventuresome families, recommended books and reviews, and links to online stories. Books currently in research. To be published 2005.
• Family on A Bike: A combined family expedition, research and writing project to experience first-hand how adventuring as a family can change your life. Starting November 2004, the Wickes family will be pedaling end end to end in New Zealand; two adults, two toddlers, two bikes, two trailers, two islands and two thousand miles. Gathering and writing real-life stories of family adventure as they go.
• Adventures in Writing: aims to encourage, support and develop the writing skills of people involved in family adventure. Helping people to share hard won lessons, re-live amazing experiences and preserve fading memories. Offering help, advice, guidance and opportunities to tell your story.
• Education and Coaching: Activities to spread the word about family adventure and encourage others to give it a go. Talks and educational activities for schools and colleges; presentations and after-dinner speeches for conferences, business or community meetings; and a coaching service dedicated to helping families acquire the skills and confidence to organise their own independent family adventures.
• Research: work to explore the phenomena of family adventur. Drawing on personal experience, contacts with adventurous families around the world, and structured research methods to contribute to the body of knowledge about the nature and benefits of family adventure.
• Festival of Family Adventure: A long term plan to host the world's first festival of family adventure; chance for like minded families to gather, meet one another, and celebrate the joys of family adventure.

The Project Directors are Kirstie Pelling and Stuart Wickes. They can be contacted on +44 (0)1524 782351.