I broke my neck in 1999 after a freak accident whilst on the 8th day or a 10 day holiday in Mallorca. A simple accident one minute walking hand in hand with my fiancé, and the next minute flat on my back in agony, water in my lungs with my life changed forever.

At 21 years old, unable to do my profession anymore and on disability benefits, life felt pretty hopeless and bleak and took an awful lot of adjustment. However, right from the word go Regain supported me by purchasing computer equipment to get back to college and then university, supported me later on with wheelchair rugby equipment which saw me get to the represent Great Britain at the World Championships in 2006, amongst other support over the years like wheelchair racing equipment that again saw me represent UK Athletics at the Marathon Para World Cup in 2017.

This is an amazing little charity that I have raised money for before, not since 2013 doing the London Marathon. It is high time to get back on the fundraising drive to help these guys out, and future beneficiaries like me, once more!

Since having to give up sport in 2017 due to my dodgy shoulders I have had 2 shoulder operations and completed zero cardiovascular fitness sessions - bar a couple of small bike rides round my local town using a wheelchair attachment hybrid bike (Triride Tribike Hybrid). I go to the gym to do weights twice a week but have no fitness at all and now 45 years old in May, what better way to 'get back in the saddle' than setting a challenge to ride 350km in 3 days through Italy!

I will be using my Tribike hybrid for this event rather than a sporty professional racing hand bike, to help compensate for my weak shoulders going through the Italian Mountains! I will be training daily to build up my stamina and hope to use as minimal battery power support as possible during the event.

Please donate what you can, it is all much appreciated an goes a long way, trust me! Here's some details on the event!

Regain supporters will cycle from the fashion capital of Milan to the islands of Venice in 2023. We'll ride over 350km through Bella Italia and raise thousands of pounds to help make a difference for sports tetraplegics. Together, we'll cycle along the southern edge of the Dolomites, past mountains, vineyards, and the idyllic lakes of Iseo and Garda and spend a night in Verona. We'll experience Italy in the best way, taking in not just the tourist hot spots, but also the tranquil towns, small roads and rolling hills of the countryside. Our last day on the bikes will see us cycling to the edge of Venice for a fantastic celebration. Then, you'll have a free day to explore the canals and islands of Venice, filled with the triumph of conquering an epic bike ride for a small but crucial charity.