Today is International Women’s Day so it feels like the right day to start my fundraising effort in aid of Dementia.

Dementia is something that touches most families in the UK in one way or another. Some of us will have first-hand experience of it and many of us will know someone who has been affected by it. By 2025, over one million people across the UK are expected to be living with dementia.

In May, together with a small team of colleagues, I will be cycling across Italy to raise as much money as possible for Dementia UK.

I am doing this in memory of an inspirational woman who played a massive part in my life. My mother, Rosie.

My mother had her hands full raising nine children single-handedly when we lost my father at a very young age. She could have given up but she didn’t. She kept going. Only looking back now do we realise she kept going for all of us.

She sadly passed away in December 2021 after courageously battling dementia for many years.

It’s the same ‘keep going attitude’ I will need when I attempt to cycle almost 400km of cross-country terrain from Rimini to Pisa.

I understand times are tough but any support would be greatly appreciated, either by way of a small donation or simply sharing my JustGiving page.

Many thanks

Paul