Saturday 9th October is the date for the fourth annual Lush Longboards Bath to Bristol charity skate and this year it's going to be a very special event.

For 2010 we're raising money for a very important charity which has been chosen by one of our own, none other than Mikey Johnson, aka Longy.  Longy is a very special skateboarder, he's been on the scene forever and his exploits in gravity sports are legendary.  This year Longy has been off his board after being diagnosed with cancer.  Our 2010 skate is dedicated to him, and to his chosen charity - Macmillan Cancer Support.  Longy's been receiving fantastic support from the Macmillan nurses, and we're going to be skating to raise money to support their work.

Longy's written a few words for us about what Macmillan means to him...

Skateboarders are a dysfunctional group of people. They have chosen a hobby, sport or pastime (call it what you will) that puts them in a class totally of their own. Now imagine a group of skateboarders even more dysfunctional that enjoy downhill skateboarding and you have an eclectic group of folk that to be honest are madder than a bucket of spiders.

The idea that Lush Longboards and the event organisers corral and control this disparate group and manage to put on an event like the Bath to Bristol charity skateboard event fills me with pride. In past years they have raised oodles of cash and raised the profile of the various charities they have chosen to support..

In March of this year I was diagnosed with cancer, a shock. I was a fit skater and felt better than I had for years. It was a bombshell to be honest. As soon as the news sinks in another set of problems raises its head. Who do you talk to? Who can offer support? How do I deal with these problems and fight the disease at the same time? Mix these factors in with a dysfunctional downhill skateboarder and you can see it's a whole recipe of disasters.

Enter Macmillan nurses. From day one Macmillan nurses have been a pillar of support for myself and my family during times that have been, to be honest, horrible. Cancer is a tough battle, you need people who can offer support, help and advice through tough times. Macmillan nurses have stood shoulder to shoulder with me throughout.

Some of the people that will skate in this year's Bath to Bristol event for the Macmillan nurses are the greatest people I have ever met. I have ridden down hills, streets and parks with most of them. Argued, laughed, and cried with the rest. They are my 'ace in the hole' in that whenever I feel humanity not worth a second look, they restore my faith that love and not hate will endure. I have been constantly amazed by their humility, humour and absolute zest for what they do and this connection between the Bath to Bristol event and Macmillan nurses will be a major positive note in an increasingly negative world.

Get to the Bath to Bristol event, raise some cash, dress as something that inspires people to laugh. Its the best medicine!

Love Longy xxxx

So don't forget to wear fancy dress! We want to see crazy costumes! It'll be lots of fun so get your gear ready and we'll see you on the day. We're going to spread the love for Longy, gather the cash for Macmillan and have a good old laugh together along the way.

Sign up to join the skate by donating a minimum of £10 here on JustGiving. If you can afford to give more then please do.  All money will go to support the work of the Macmillan nurses helping Longy and many others recovering from cancer.  Please make sure to put your name against the donation!  You can check for all the latest gossip and news about the big day on the forum at www.lushlongboards.com

If you are sponsoring a skater, please give as much as you can to this very worthy cause. Please do make sure to put the skater's name against your donation!! This can be done as a comment as you donate here on JustGiving.

We need to keep track of all the donations because once again this year, all skaters who raise more than £50 in sponsorship via JustGiving will be entered into a prize draw to win a fabulous Lush Longboards Kisiwa longboard deck...

So please give generously!

To find out more about Macmillan cancer support, please visit www.macmillan.org.uk