There are so many things in life that we take for granted, and your family can certainly be one of them. My father has always been a big part of my life; always around, ready to help, and has always been very active. Some of my favourite holidays are with the family climbing mountains in Scotland or Wales, or going for long cycling holidays in the Alps or Pyrenees. You never think these things will ever come to an end, but in 2010 my father was diagnosed with Parkinson's, and since then things have changed drastically.

In a short space of time my father now is unable to walk long distances, nor cycle to the extent he used to; and my family has had to accept the changes, as symptoms only become worse over time. I've never really considered Parkinson's before, but since my father's diagnosis I've come to realise how many people suffer this condition, but how much help and support is out there. Parkinson's UK provides help and support for sufferers and their families, but as a charity it is totally reliant on donations, and that's where my brother and I come in.

Never been one for big charity fund-raisers, we have decided to jump in the deep end. Between Sunday the 29th of April and Sunday the 13th of May my brother and I will cycle from John O'Groats on the northern coast of mainland Scotland to Lands End in south west England; some 1000 miles in two weeks under our own steam, all in aid of Parkinson's. The money raised will help further research, but will also pay for Parkinson's nurses who perform a commendable service.

Keep up to date on our blog page http://sparsons83.blogspot.com/ and via twitter to see how training progresses; and how the ride turns out. Many thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page, so please dig deep and donate!

Cheers,

Stuart.

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.