On 23 September I will be riding the first ever Vélo South, a 100 mile
course in Sussex, to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society.

I'm fundraising for Alzheimer's Society because of the fantastic advice
and support they, together with sister organisation Alzheimer Scotland, have given to the Fraser family in the last few years. Without them we would have had very little idea or support about how to deal with even the basics of Mum's condition.

Mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2013. The more the condition
kicked in, the more worrying and upsetting it became for her, her family and her friends. Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer Scotland were there to provide support, help and advice for all of us in terms of how best to manage mum’s condition, and keep her safe and sound, while at the same time respecting her wishes and maintaining her dignity. Mum has deteriorated a lot in the last year and is now in a nursing home, where she is very well cared for. She doesn’t say much now, has trouble walking, and doesn’t recognise her family. It’s a horrible condition.

Alzheimer’s Society is also the only UK charity investing in research
into dementia care, cause, cure and prevention. They’ve committed to spending £150 million on cutting-edge research over the next decade and every project they fund directly addresses the needs and concerns of people affected by dementia – like Mum.

Click here for more information on Alzheimer's Society  (www.alzheimers.org.uk) and Alzheimer Scotland (www.alzscot.org).

Any donations, large or small (but preferably large - obviously..), will be very gratefully received. 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.

Vélo South (www.velosouth.com) is a new 100 mile closed road sportive for the UK. Starting and finishing at the Goodwood Estate, we will cycle 100 miles through West Sussex and the South Downs National Park, doing circa 1,500m of climbing en route.