South Downs Way Ride 22-23 June 2013

We are a group of friends raising money for the Princess Alice Hospice, in Esher, in memory of our good friend Andy.

Visit our main website www.cycling4andy.com

Who was Andy?

Andy was a husband to Debbie, father to James, Sarah & Adam and a great friend to all those who knew him.

Andy valued his friendships greatly, keeping in regular contact with old friends and welcoming the new. He organised regular social events ranging from beer and curry nights to a memorable lads holiday to Ibiza, which to this day raises a smile when we remember those "Hawaiian Shirts and Tattoos".

Andy was an incredibly positive guy, who lived life to the full with a real sense of enthusiasm and gusto, which added to the sense of injustice when he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2008.

MND is a degenerative disease that attacks the nerves within the brain and spinal cord, leading to weakness and wasting of the body, to which there is currently no cure. Andy very sadly lost his valiant battle and died in 2011 at the age of just 49.

Through the later stages of Andy's illness the Princess Alice Hospice in Esher, Surrey, was there to give support, comfort and advice to Andy and his family when they needed it most. They cared for Andy towards the end of his life and previously, for periods of time, to give his family some respite from the care they gave him at home.

Who are we?

Some of us first met Andy as apprentices 35 years ago and some of us got to know him through work in later years. Others who did not know Andy but have been moved by his story and the sentiment behind our challenge have signed up, joining his friends, to honour his memory.

After much discussion and many beers a 'bike ride' was 'agreed'. However, in the cold sobering light of day, the reality was that we were just a bunch of regular middle aged guys, and if we owned a bike, it was years since we had ridden them, which put into stark context the challenge we had set ourselves.

The Challenge

As a member of the Territorial Army and later as a Scout Leader, Andy lived an active and adventurous life. He was a true 'Action Man' with endless enthusiasm and a 'can do' attitude and this set the tone for the challenge.

An off-road cycle ride of considerable distance will be a true test of endurance, and that is the South Downs Way (SDW).

The SDW is a 100 mile route traversing the long escarpment that stretches from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex. A mixture of chalky slopes, bridleways and woodland make up the terrain, and the 889ft high Butser Hill, the famous Seven Sisters and Beachy Head are just some of the hills that make up 13600ft of climb. This is equivalent to 3 times the height of Ben Nevis! We intend to complete this challenge in 2 days.

The Training

You do not just turn up and do the SDW especially at our age, so we knew we needed to train for the event. 18 months later, training through some horrendous conditions in all weathers (have a look through the photos in the gallery), enduring numerous injuries to Achilles, knees and backs, we are almost ready.

We know it will be tough and gruelling but we have the commitment and attitude that Andy would have brought along if he was with us. Whilst in our thoughts, he will be there in spirit, willing us on with a big smile.

The Legacy

Apart from the sense of pride we will feel when completing the SDW, the emotional celebration of Andy's life with friends and family at the finish line, and all the memories of this journey, we also wanted our challenge to make a tangible difference, if only in a small way to the lives of others.

We saw first hand how the charitable donations of others help fund the Princess Alice Hospice. So we have chosen to raise money which will enable them to continue to provide much needed care and support to others.

Please give whatever you can.

Every penny donated goes to the Princess Alice Hospice, and if you are a UK taxpayer then please tick the 'Gift Aid' box, so the charity can reclaim another 25p, from the Government, for every £1 donated.

Many thanks from all of us involved in the Cycling4Andy campaign.

 

Donate via text.

 

Text the following message to 70070.

 

SDWR99 £10

 

and then follow the instructions to add gift aid and a message.

 

Donate £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10.