I had always been close to my grandmother - she was my biggest fan and I loved spending time with her.

When she lost her husband, my grandfather, she used to write to me saying how lonely she was. I hated that feeling of her sat alone in her flat with no-one to talk to.

Over the last 13 years I have volunteered my time to AgeUK as a befriender and more recently to Re-engage (formerly Contact the Elderly) as a driver, tea party organiser and call companion. 

During lockdown, one million more people became chronically lonely  resulting in 3.7 million adults reporting that they were often or always lonely by the beginning of 2021.

My aim is to raise £12,000 to support the activities of Re-engage. Between 28 May and 8 June 2022 I rode over 1,050 miles from Lands End to John O'Groats (LEJOG)  

My company, AWA digital, will match every £ donated.

• A £5 donation would allow Re-engage to give volunteers invaluable training
• A £15 donation would allow the charity to carefully match an isolated older person with a call companion for regular calls
• A £25 donation would allow the charity to protect a vulnerable  older person by running through safeguarding checks on a new volunteer
• A £50 donation would help an older person to take part in physical activity groups providing opportunities for them to socialise with others and improve physical and mental well-being
• A £100 donation would help to put everything in place to relaunch our monthly tea groups across the country that were suspended during lockdown

View my Instagram (@dancroxenjohn) and Facebook posts of each day of the ride.