On the 14th and 15th June 2018, Chris, George, Graham will embark on a Devon cycling Challenge that will literally keep them  up all night. The small team will be attempting to cycle across Devon in a large “X” to raise money for a very well-deserved charity, the Fragile X Society. This small charity provides wonderful support for families living with Fragile X Syndrome.

Fragile X Syndrome is the most common known inherited cause of learning disabilities, affecting around 1 in 4000 males and 1 in 8000 females. It can cause a wide range of difficulties with learning, as well as social, language, attentional, emotional, and behavioral problems. In addition, approximately 1 in 250 females and 1 in 600 males are carriers of the fragile X pre-mutation. Some carriers may develop symptoms of one of the two Fragile X-associated Disorders. Therefore, fragile X consists of a family of three genetic conditions. The fragile X Society relies heavily on donations so our fundraising is essential.

Chris’ involvement with the charity is a personal one, his son Harrison was diagnosed with FXS two years ago and the fragile X Society have provided his family with invaluable support.

For those of you who enjoy cycling, you’ll know the feeling of accomplishment when you do your first long ride, 25 miles, 50 miles and for those who enjoy some pain, 100 miles in a day. That’s a long way, 100 miles is from Exeter to Bristol or Falmouth in one day. Some people say cycling 100 miles is equivalent to running (slowly) a marathon. We’re not content with that, some people cycle 100 miles in a day for fun and we want to earn our money.

So we’re going to attempt to cycle over 300 miles across Devon with over 16,000 feet of climbing (that’s like cycling over half way up Mount Everest!), only stopping for food, water, cramp and the required toilet stops, one ride, no sleep. We will be starting from Crediton and heading out towards Bideford and back, Plymouth and back, Porlock and back and finally Exmouth and back. This will create our “X” of the route across the county and be a lasting reminder of our efforts. We will welcome anyone to join us for a leg or part leg but due to numbers, please let us know in advance so we can advise of timings and any safety issues. We will have a support vehicle in the vicinity so ensure we have food and water and a masseuse on hand for the inevitable cramp plus some spares for the bikes. So, 3 continuous centuries, no sleep, lots of hills and one great charity. We aren’t ashamed to ask you for some financial support, we’re happy (now!) to put our bodies on the line but we really want your cash.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.