I was sports mad as a kid. If I wasn’t playing games, I was making games up. I took both passions through to adulthood, as I’m sure my friends will gladly tell you. I’ve always been a competitor. I represented my home county of Yorkshire at Gymnastics as a junior. I played everything under the sun as a senior. I ran three full marathons too. But the sport I’d come back to time and again was golf. I got my handicap down to seven once upon a time. I simply love golf.

In 201I, I was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. That was a shock. It changed my life completely. But not my outlook. I had a lot to do still! My family, my friends and my golfing community have all helped me through a challenging transition from action man to wheelchair-bound…from boundless adventurer to dependency on others.

I consider myself very fortunate. Not only do I have a beautiful family and wonderful friends around me, I can still play golf! I use a tennis racquet on the fairways and a putter on the greens. Two sports in one! I’m still able to fuel that passion for competition and it helps me remain active and socially immersed in a special golfing community. So, to give something back, I decided to stage a charity golf event. A tournament. A fundraiser to support two special institutions that continue to make my life, and the lives of others, a whole lot easier: The MS Society and the Ryan Neuro Therapy Centre in Coulsdon, South London.

On June 21, I will join 120 friends and fellow members at Addington Palace Golf Club to compete for The Mr Pink Friendship Trophy. (I’m Mr Pink BTW – no prizes for guessing why!) It will be a celebration of all the friendship that has carried me through tougher days. We’ll be playing all sorts of golfing contests to raise cash, and we’re hosting an auction and a raffle, and having a good old boogie. This has been made possible by the wonderful generosity of my local golf club and my friends taking part on the day. Our shared aim is to improve the lives of all those touched by MS. I also want to use this platform to share what I have learned first-hand about MS. I’ve realised that my insights can help people be better informed and more understanding in cases where they’re living or working with someone who has MS. ‘Minnsights’, I call them!! I have a long list of them which I’ll be sharing with everyone taking part and with the charities I’m supporting. In the meantime, I shall continue planning the finer points of my special event, the Richard Minns MS Charity Golf Classic, no doubt I will come up with some sideshow gags and games to keep the competition intense!

I have much hope for the future for people like me. If you’d care to help us towards our ambitious target of £25,000, I will be truly indebted to you. Thank you!

Rich