Story

As you may or may not know back in January 2003 my eldest son, Charlie, was born prematurely at 29 weeks and went through a pretty traumatic time in his first few months.

It's a horrible feeling to know that you cannot even touch, let alone hug or kiss, your first child for two weeks after he is born due to the risk of infection or watch your son being revived after encountering yet more breathing difficulties. Without the expert care and support of the staff of the 'Special Care Baby Unit' at Gloucester Royal I don't know how me or my wife Ali would have got through it all.

Thankfully Charlie is fit and well now, although still a little on the small side (with me as his father he was never going to be a giant though so it may be genetic) and a real handful.

What am I going to do about it?

At the time I vowed that I would do all I could to help raise money for the Scoo-B-Doo appeal which is a charity directly linked to SCBU at Gloucester Royal. With work commitments, and the arrival of our second child Harvey in October 05, I have never had the chance to fulfil my promise. However all that is about to change. In July of this year I will be emabarking on a solo cycle trip around the coastal line of Jersey to help raise money for SCBU who desperately need a 'Cerebral Function Monitor'. The Cerebral Function Monitor enables doctors to monitor the activity of the brain in babies who are very sick, enabling them to gauge response to treatment and give parents a better idea of their baby's long-term outcome. This monitor costs in the region of £12,000 and I am hoping to raise at least £1000 / £2000 to help them reach their target.

I Aint No Pro!

I am a novice cyclist in as much as I have never taken it up seriously before, although truth be known I could do some pretty mean 'wheelies' and 'endo's' on my Chopper and Grifter's back in the 80's. Training is in full swing I am managing 2 hours in the saddle quite comfortabley. I also cycle to work every day and I can confirm that the hill that runs through Hempsted Village is a right ba**tard at 7.30 in the morning after a Chicken Madras and pint of Stella the night before.

I've already been knocked off the bike once on the Bristol Road (thanks to the perpetrator for stopping...not) and have experienced several near misses, none of which were my fault of course, including one with a bus where the driver was cackling like a maniac as he nearly took me out.

Shaky's Jersey Trip

Shaky's Jersey Trip

Story

As you may or may not know back in January 2003 my eldest son, Charlie, was born prematurely at 29 weeks and went through a pretty traumatic time in his first few months.

What am I going to do about it?

I Aint No Pro!

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