According to the Alzheimer's Society, there are currently around 800,000 people in the UK diagnosed with dementia. This is expected to rise to around 1 million by 2021. Dementia is terminal, there is no cure at present.

Along with a friend (Allan Lind), I'm planning a sponsored cycle ride (just the two of us), in aid of dementia charities.

We're planning on following the National Cycle Routes, from Southwick, West Sussex, to St Austell, Cornwall.

The ride will be in memory of my Mum, who sadly lost her battle with vascular dementia on 6 March this year. She spent her later years in Sussex, but lived and worked in St Austell during the 1970s and 1980s.

I was her full-time carer for the last five years of her life.

The ride will probably take place in September, and is likely to take between 10 and 14 days.

The route is approximately 350 miles long.

We'll be starting from Southwick Community Church in Sussex, and officially finish at John Keay House, St Austell, the former HQ of English China Clays (Imerys), where Mum used to work. But, we'll also be calling at the site of the former Cornwall Coliseum, where I used to work during the holidays, when I was at Bristol Polytechnic (now UWE), and of course, the Eden Project, part of the National Cycle Network passes right next to it.

For the most part, we'll be stopping overnight at various campsites along the route.

As we're both currently unemployed, and in receipt of Universal Credit, we may need a little assistance, to purchase essential equipment, and to cover any expenses along the route. So, we'd be extremely grateful to anyone willing to donate, even the smallest amount, to help us along the way.

I'll be setting up separate pages for the Alzheimer's Society and Dementia UK nearer the time of the bike ride. We're aiming to raise £1000 for each charity.