As many of you already know, my Grandad passed away in January this year. He had Parkinson’s disease. A disease I wish no one had to struggle with. It was hard to see a man who was so independent and strong, someone who enjoyed fixing things and very much valued the use of his hands, struggling so much.

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition. This means that it causes problems in the brain which can get worse over time. This causes symptoms such as involuntary shaking of the body, slow movement, memory problems, loss of smell and more.

The symptoms, order in which they develop and their severity differs for every person. Therefore, although there are numerous treatments and medication to help ease the symptoms, there is no cure. However, with advances in treatment, most people with Parkinson's can lead a normal life. In the UK, around 1 adult in every 350 is diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

Parkinson's UK rely totally on voluntary donations to accelerate the development of treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson's.  Alongside this they also provide a multitude of care and activities for people living with the condition such as a social support network, exercise classes, carer workshops and speakers.

I want to run the GNR and raise money in memory of my Grandad, and to help this charity fund the advancements in treatments and ultimately find a cure.

Please give what you can to help Parkinson's UK continue their amazing work and research towards finding a cure.

Thank you x

In loving memory of Richard 'Dick' Harland 

27th January 1930 - 19th January 2019