Anne M Jones’ Alpe d’Huez Challenge 2026

She’s back! Anne Jones, 84, rides again for Gaza’s children
This time it’s Alpe d’Huez

Anne M Jones and Amos Trust’s Meg Williams.

This summer, Anne Jones — 84 years old, retired social worker and psychotherapist — will ride again to build hope for Gaza’s one million traumatised children.

In May 2024, Anne was so horrified by events in Gaza that she got on her bike and cycled up Mont Ventoux, the iconic 1,900-metre Tour de France summit. In June 2025, as the situation in Gaza continued to deteriorate, she got back in the saddle and climbed the mighty Tourmalet — a Tour de France classic and the highest paved pass in the Pyrenees at 2,115 metres.

This May, Anne will take on the most famous climb of them all: the magnificent Alpe d’Huez.

Famous for its 21 hairpin bends — each named after a Tour de France stage winner — Alpe d’Huez is the spiritual home of the Tour. An estimated 1,000 cyclists attempt the climb each summer day, but at 1,120 metres of height gain over 14 kilometres, with gradients as steep as 14% in places — very few of them are in their eighties.

This summer, Anne Jones — 84 years old, retired social worker and psychotherapist — will ride again to build hope for Gaza’s one million traumatised children.

This year, Anne will be joined not only by the Amos Road Club riders but also by Palestinian para-cyclists Alaa al-Dali and Mohammed Asfour from the Gaza Sunbirds. Alaa and Mohammed evacuated Gaza in 2025 to represent Palestine on the world stage — Alaa became the first Palestinian to compete in the Cycling World Championship. Their families remain in Gaza, living in tents and fighting for survival.

So far, Anne has raised over £50,000 for Gaza’s children. This year, she’s looking to raise £21,000 — £1,000 for each of Alpe d’Huez's 21 iconic hairpins.

Building hope in Gaza

All money raised will go to Amos Trust’s partners who are building hope for Gaza’s one million children — children who have lost family members and friends, whose homes have been destroyed and who are now sheltering in vermin-infested tents along Gaza’s coast. Children who have faced years of severe food and water shortages. Children who are acutely traumatised and haven't been able to go to school since October 2023.

Amos Trust’s partners in Gaza are working tirelessly to support them:

• running specialised trauma support for children and their families
• operating tent schools where children whose schools have been destroyed can continue to learn (93% of Gaza’s schools are now unusable)
• raising awareness of the dangers of unexploded ordnance littering Gaza
• providing wrap-around care for children and families who have travelled to Lebanon for multiple operations to treat their war injuries.

Please support Anne as she takes on Alpe d’Huez and raises £21,000 for Gaza’s children — £1,000 for every iconic hairpin.