A big thanks to our corporate sponsor
PLEASE HELp us?
ON SEPTEMBER 27th, WE ARE RIDING FOR 24 HOURS AROUND DOVE STONE RESERVOIR TO RAISE MONEY FOR ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH UK. BOTH OF US HAVE LOST FAMILY TO ALZHEIMERS, WE WANT TO HELP STOP IT AFFECTING MORE PEOPLE. PLEASE HELP US BY DONATING ANYTHING YOU CAN!
the challenge
We wanted a challenge that would push us, both physically and mentally. We will be riding for 24 hours around Dove Stone Reservoir, just on the edge of the Peak District. The loop is 2.5 miles long. We aim to complete as many circuits as possible in 24 hours. We will allow maximum food and toilet breaks of 15 minutes, but will be aiming to keep these to a minimum. The most either of us has ridden in one go is 35 miles. We expect to cover around 150 miles in 24 hours. It's going to be tough, but we hope that inspires people to dig that little bit deeper when donating.
OUR STORies
Matt mooney
James Osborne
I'm James. I'm 26 and I'm doing this challenge in memory of my Uncle Frank.
My uncle Frank was a polite, proud man and always dressed immaculately. He was an engineer, loved maths, numbers & anything with an engine. But his love for cars was nothing compared to his love for my Auntie Millicent.
He met Millicent in 1938 just before WW2. They spent the majority of the war separated & back then Skype wasn't a thing so communication wasn't possible, but they both waited till the war was over. 70 years of marriage later, they were still incredibly in love.
He would recall stories from the war over the dinner table & have everybody crying with laughter from his terrible jokes. Then once dinner was over, he would slip me a chocolate bar & wink at me. I knew that was his way of saying I'm proud of you.
Not too far into the future, Frank started to deteriorate. His Alzheimer's began taking over. He stopped wearing a tie. Became very insular & didn't tell his jokes anymore.
I remember the last time I saw him in the home. He couldn't remember anybody's name & I don't think he knew who anybody was. But he looked my way & winked...
I will never forget that moment. I didn't fully understand at the time the severity of the situation. But looking back it makes me well up everytime.
When Matt asked if I wanted to ride my bike for 24hrs in aid of Alzheimer's Research UK, I did not hesitate. It would mean so much to me and my family if you could donate anything you can. Thankyou so much.
In memory of Jack Thompson
16/08/1937 - 14/08/2017
In memory of Frank Osborne
02/01/1922 - 08/03/2003
I'm Matt. I'm 26 and I'm doing this challenge in memory of my Grandad Jack.
My Grandad Jack died on August 14th 2017. What hit me so hard and upset me so much with my Grandad Jack, wasn’t just that he died. It was how it turned a proud, adventurous and admirable man that I looked up to, into a shell of a person that couldn’t recognise his own family. Alzheimers is such a cruel disease.
My Grandad used to hold seminars to hundreds of people at a time. He hiked the Himalayas. He trekked the jungles, hunting for rare birds. He sailed the Antarctic and the Arctic in search of polar bears and penguins. He was an adventurer and nature lover in the truest sense of the words.
He was a keen bird watcher. We would regularly head out into the woods at the back of his house in Bury for a walk. He could not only identify the names of all the birds around him from their sound alone, but he could communicate back and forth with them, mimicking their exact call with his hands and mouth. He was an amazing man, a great Parent and a loving Grandad.
To see my Grandad’s deterioration upset me far more than I can put into words. At the time, it was something I just didn’t know how to deal with. To see a man of such intelligence and pride be broken down to struggling to sing nursery rhymes, being unable to dress himself and eventually dying in a bed with family members around him he didn’t recognise, was crushing. It had a huge affect on me, my family and especially my Mum.
My Grandad instilled into me a love of the outdoors from childhood. I have amazing memories of hiking in the hills in all weathers with him and my Grandma. He’s the main reason that I love being in the outdoors to this day. Without him, my business MTB Fitness wouldn’t exist, I wouldn’t love the outdoors and I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
Whether you have experienced Alzheimer's first hand or not, we can all relate to it’s horrific effect and the heartbreak it causes. I implore you to donate what you can to cure Alzheimers. I can’t tell you how much it would mean to me and all of my family.
My Grandad’s death taught me one lesson over all others. Enjoy every single day, because one day you won’t have anymore to enjoy.
the charity
Alzheimer's Research UK's vision is a world where people are free from the fear, harm and heartbreak of dementia. They perform life saving research. For every £1 donated, 85p goes straight into groundbreaking research. Me and Ozzy are self funding our ride, so 100% of your donations goes to the charity.
Your generous donations are appreciated so much! Please keep donating so we can raise as much money as possible. Dementia and Alzheimers has destroyed so many families. Please help us fight it. Thankyou so much.