Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am a 52 year old community paramedic working in the Peterborough area. I have been lucky enough to be chosen to ride the Prudential 100 this July on behalf of Dyslexia UK.
My mission is to raise over £400 for the charity by completing the 100 mile course; I am currently training for this.

I was not diagnosed with dyslexia until I was 11 years old, at which time I had the reading age of a 7 year old. I struggled academically as a result, as I was always a few steps behind my peers. Even as an adult, I found it hard to admit that I was dyslexic, as I felt it would affect my career progression and that people would think I was less capable than others.

However, in the last few years, talking about and admitting to being a dyslexic has become easier as so many people suffer from it, in varying degrees. The ambulance service started to recognise it as a disability and helped me by getting special equipment, such as Dragon software, which enables users to read screens more easily and also corrects grammar and spelling.

I am very keen to ensure that no other child is left to flounder at primary/secondary. All children with dyslexia get the same academic opportunities as those without dyslexia. We aren’t stupid, we just don’t see words, letters and numbers in the same way; the right help at an early age will help children to enjoy school and not fear it like I did.

As I was a cycle paramedic with the London Ambulance Service for over 10 years, I thought that the best way to raise money for Dyslexia UK was to cycle in the London 100, combining my love of cycling with a charity I feel passionately about.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.