Tim and Irene Grant-Jones, musicians and teachers from Bedfordshire are raising money for the: British Heart Foundation’s cycle ride from London to Brighton 17^thJune 2018. 

They are not new to tandem riding as in 1977 they bought a brand new tandem. A month later they were invited to a friend’s wedding in Merthyr Tydfil.The journey from London to Merthyr and then through the centre of South Wales across the Brecon Beacons, Blaenau Ffestiniog [Irene's father's hometown] and on to Irene’s then home town of Rhyl in North Wales, took them a week.

Looking back, they recall, ‘It was one of the best holidays we’ve ever experienced.’ Panniers were a bit of a luxury in those days, so a small evacuation suitcase was strapped to the back!

 At the age of 19, in the year Irene was accepted to study singing at the Royal Academy of Music, her family were devastated through the sudden death of her dad. David Owen suffered a massive heart attack at the age of 55. Irene remembers, like  yesterday, singing a solo at her father’s funeral and wondering  whether life could ever feel normal again. He was the inspiration behind her love of singing and Irene remembers clearly his beautiful, lyrical tenor voice. 

Before leaving North Wales, Irene, at the age of 18 remembers winning the soprano solo competition at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod and how the experience of singing in the most enormous marquee  placed in the most glorious countryside would be revisited only four years later with her own personal piano accompanist steering their new tandem.

Irene’s mother Inez Owen died at the age of 84 when her heart simply stopped beating. Irene will forever be grateful for their lives and their constant love and support. Irene's sister who is a nurse and a non smoker also suffered a heart attack at the age of 51.

The Welsh countryside with its mountainous terrain and endless valleys together with the areas of lilting musical speech underpin Irene’s vivid childhood memories.

Irene has the British Heart Foundation close to her heart as she manages her own heart condition called AF with breathing exercises and exercising in general in conjunction with drinking lots of water.

She is passionate about writing words and poetry as well as using the voice as a form of therapy on a daily basis. To date, Irene has written over 300 poems ranging from the darkest and deepest times of despair to the most humorous anecdotal take on everyday experiences. One of the many poems she is proud of is one about dog poo! She has also written a poem about her heart condition called, Tick Tock.

This is the first time Irene and Tim have entered the London to Brighton bike ride as they live their lives in the fast lane. Irene adjudicates for the British and International Federation of Music Festivals as well as running her own private singing teaching business.Their five children and five grandchildren are all very active and supportive. Three of their children are personal trainers and they do their best to keep Irene on her toes!

Irene loves a challenge, so even though the couple have not used the tandem on such long rides since 1977 Irene plans to ‘sing her heart out’ at the end of the London to Brighton ride, singing a famous operatic tune set to her own words and accompanied
by her husband Tim on the piano.

Even if she can’t stand up when she gets off the bike she will sing! Let’s hope someone in Brighton will bring a piano to the beach front; preferably one that’s in tune!

Lastly and most importantly Irene’s daughter Rebecca introduced her to becoming an organ donor through speaking out about this subject openly to her family. So yes, Irene wants to help others in this way by becoming an organ donor.

My cycle ride is to remember my father David Owen and to raise awareness of how much we can all give to enable others to live, and to thank all the people in my life who have supported me through the depths of bereavement where at one point I thought I would never sing another note in my life. Thank you to my family and friends who are the living rock in my life.

Best wishes 

Irene Grant-Jones

www.grant-jones.co.uk

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