Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Are you like me and know someone, a friend, neighbour or family member who’s life has been affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Do you observe, like me, that it not only affects the individual but their wider family and even social gatherings of friends.

I am a young 60 year old. I am very fortunate to be in good health. I cycle on average 100 miles per week, mainly on gravel tracks, I volunteer at the local nature reserve, I do my own DIY and go on walks in the countryside. Things many of us do and take for granted.

This is in stark contrast to my best mate Phil. He is my age yet his life is very different because he has Progressive MS.  He receives care
every morning and every night to wash, get dressed and get into his wheelchair.  A recent trip to the doctors required
myself and his family to get him in the car a difficult task fraught with
challenges.  When I visit Phil, I make the tea for us or get a beer from the fridge. He could not attend the village fete with his family or meet me for a beer, because the temperature that day was 28c. 
He stayed indoors trying to keep cool. When we organise a gathering of friends Phil cannot come to me, my house has steps… so we often meet at his house, which is stressful for his wife, but we all help to make it less so.  The list goes on. MS changes everything…. Although I am pleased to say Phil is always on good spirits and has not lost his sense of humour. To paraphrase one of his favourites –

Baldrick: "I have a plan, sir."

Blackadder: "Really, Baldrick? A cunning and subtle
one?"

Baldrick: "Yes, sir."

Blackadder: "As cunning as a fox who's just been
appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University?"

Blackadder: "Well go on Baldrick”

Baldrick: "I want you to ride the MS Harbours
ride to raise funds for MS research on a unicyle”

Blackadder: "Right Ho, will do, well not on a unicycle
of course… that is a very cunning plan indeed Baldrick”

For now, the cunning plan is that I am riding the MS Harbours ride, the 54 mile route, to raise awareness across my friends, family and work colleagues about the impact that MS has on so many lives.  I cannot
contribute to the research directly but I can help by raising funds all of
which go into research.  Together we can help gain a better understanding of MS and hopefully find treatments that can change
the medical outcomes.

Having read Phil’s story, I encourage you to help, give what you can afford to fund MS research. You can Just Give here…