I am cycling 909km along the West coast of Ireland along with 16 friends from the Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal (BICA) to raise money for local charities in the West Midlands. I am paying all my own travel and accommodation costs. My nominated charity is the Marie Curie Big Build project which is raising £7m for a new hospice in Solihull. Many of us know friends and colleagues who have spent their last few days being cared for in their local hospice. My awarenss of the work of Marie Curie is through employment in Birmingham with Ernst and Young. Ronnie Bowker, our greatly admired and respected office managing partner, passed away last year after being cared for by the nurses at Marie Curie.