Arthur Ashe once said this: 'Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can'.

These vague, advisory words have little/nothing to do with what my Dad and I are attempting, but I felt it was important to start with an 'inspirational quote' - 'tis the done thing, I gather. Now that you know I'm inspired, and I know that you are, this is what's happening...

At the end of June my Dad and I will begin an attempt ('attempt' being the key word here) to cycle - on bicycles - from Land's End in Cornwall to John O'Groats on the tip of Scotland. 

The plan is to complete this  route in around two-and-a-half weeks. Just to clarify: we are not proper cyclists and we may well be horribly under-prepared, but we will do everything we can to make it to the end.

I am raising money for Sane, an established charity which aims to improve the lives of people suffering with mental illness. The work they do involves conducting research on mental disorders, offering support to sufferers, and campaigning to eradicate the stigma associated with mental illness.  Statistics show that 1 in 4 people in the UK will suffer from a mental health disorder in their life. It not only affects sufferers' quality of life, but also the quality of life of the people around them. I hope you'll agree with me that this is a worthwhile cause to support.

(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.)

Thank you in advance for any donations. They are hugely appreciated.

Mike and Father Tony