Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

On the 14th of June 2013 we said goodbye to our Friend Alex Russell. He was a true friend and a big part of a group of friends who have been around together for years. I met Alex though playing Darts for My local.  That was 10 years or more ago. We spent many happy Times in Alex's pub. The Homestead in Oxley. This is where the boat story came from. One nite one of the friends in our group suggested that he would like to buy a boat. Alex's quick response to this was quite simply "I wouldnt trust you in a rowing boat in West Park let alone an ocean going vessel" We then asked our friend where he would go in His boat. His response was "I dunno". Alex said that if we            had a boat that we should go and visit where he came From In Ireland. This is a place called Schull in southern Ireland. He explained that years ago there was 35 houses and 8 pubs there.(my housing ratio may be out a bit but the 8 pubs bit is rite ) We all agreed this would be the destination in the boat on its maiden voyage.

The boat was never more than a dream but the story lived on for 10 years or more and was always brought up after a few pints. Just one of those daft talking points mates have I guess. 

Why this story is important though is because one evening after a nite out Alex dropped me off at Home.  This was to be one of the last nites out we had as a group of friends. When we got outside my house Alex said to me. "We never did get to Schull did we. Its a beatiful place and you would like it there" I replied that I would get yhere one day. He then said well you have a bike and love cycling why dont you ride there. As I got out of the car Alex handed me a piece of paper. He asked me to read it when I got in. On it was written a route guide for me to cycle to Schull. At the end of the directions it just said have a pint Of Guiness for Me. 

I promised myself that I would one day do this. So later on this year with the Help of my Friends Myself a good friend Karl Pinches and Chris Martin will set off from Wolverhampton to Schull for a pint of Guiness in memory of Alex. The round trip should see us make 1200 miles on the road. We will be raising money for Compton Hospice who cared for Alex in his last weeks. Until this time I was aware of Comptons work but had never seen what they do first hand. I was blown away by the amazing people I met there in a short time.