Story
Welcome to the JustGiving page for my participation of the Missing People Cycle Challenge. Starting on Sat 28th June from Edinburgh we arrive (via Newcastle, York, Nottingham & Northampton) at Richmond Park in London on Wednesday 2nd July. That's 500 miles in just 4.5 days and powered by nothing but pedal power (and Jelly Babies!).
For people who have visited this page before and have been been back waiting for updates, I'm sorry I've been so quiet recently. I just couldn't bring myself to change the story on this page as it feels so final. I've plucked up the courage to do it now so please click "Read more of my story" and scroll down.
I originally signed up to this challenge for two reasons:
1: To help drive forward the search for my mum, Elaine Harrison who went missing from Castle Marina in Nottingham in December 2013.
2: Help to give a little back to www.missingpeople.org.uk because they helped us so much by producing posters, organised national advertising boards to carry mums picture and information and offering so much support to me and the rest of my family - just as they have for so many other families who have been and are going through the same hell as we are (were).
Unfortunately after a 4 month search for mum, divers from Nottinghamshire Police underwater search unit found mum's body in the River Trent near to Colwick Park.
Missing people were once again brilliant in helping us through such a difficult time and even offered me the chance to withdraw from the challenge but I now I'm even more determined to complete it in mum's memory!
Once again thank you to everyone for your support! As I update this on 5th June the ride starts in just 3 weeks! Please keep your eye on my social media (particularly my Twitter account @AndyHarrison80 ) and I'll keep you all updated along the way.
Total donations, both online and offline, currently stand at around £1200, leaving me £800 short of reaching my target so please share this page around your friends and social media to help my reach that target.
Andy
The original story: On Monday 9th Dec 2013, 1 week after her 59th birthday, mum walked away from the houseboat she shares with her partner at Castle Marina, Nottingham telling him she was going to get the bus over to the appointment she had a couple of miles away and to sort tea out for her return.
The only thing was mum left her handbag containing her bus pass, money, bank cards, ID & mobile phone on the boat and never attended the appointment she was heading for.
Nottinghamshire Police recovered CCTV footage of her walking out of the other end of Castle Marina to where the boat is moored, 30 mins after she left the boat. Other than finding a scarf belonging to her 48 hours later, 2 miles away near Meadow Lane we have had no confirmed sightings since despite the best efforts of the police who have worked so hard!
In addition to all the work Nottinghamshire Police have done, mums family and friends have been working hard to get mums photo and information around as far and wide as possible via Facebook.com/missingelaine or @AndyHarrison80 on Twitter and #FindElaine on both.