Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I’m cycling the C2C http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/ to raise funds for RoSPA’s first “Safe Community”, a place where no one need suffer an accidental injury. Today’s hospital A&E departments are bursting at the seams because, in part, of all the accidents we suffer in our homes and during our leisure time. We can’t afford for the NHS to keep investing in more doctors and nurses. Instead, people need to be made aware of everyday hazards so that they can take better care of themselves and their loved ones. Injury prevention is low cost and highly effective, especially when it is tailored around the needs of people as they travel life’s journey. For more information about RoSPA’s campaigns, see: www.rospa.com/campaigns

The other reason for undertaking the C2C - a 140 mile cycle ride from Whitehaven on the west coast of beautiful Cumbria to Gateshead on the east coast - is to hasten my recovery from an operation to repair my right knee. I damaged the knee after years of throwing myself around squash, tennis and badminton courts with more determination than skill. I would often find myself in mid-air, with all the grace of a hippo, smashing at a ball or shuttlecock, forgetting about landing and finding myself crashing back to ground. Six months ago the inevitable happened and a particularly awkward and heavy landing dislocated the joint.

My family doctor prescribed a massive dose of anti-inflammatory drugs and the orthopaedic surgeon diagnosed a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament – the strong band of tissue that keeps the tibia of the lower leg attached to the femur. He also insisted on reconstructive surgery which took place smoothly a few days before Christmas.

I was sent home on crutches with the medical instructions to “take rest and drink red wine”. Within days I’d jettisoned the crutches because I was a trip hazard for everyone around me. I couldn’t jettison the occasional and calorific glass of red wine so I set myself the goal of joining my pals on their summer Coast 2 Coast cycle ride in Cumbria.

According to Bob Hope, “Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle”. I’m going to try to prove him wrong!

Thank you for your support!

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