Update - July 2025

A huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far! Spurred on by your generosity, I have upped my target with the aim of raising as much as possible for a a very worthy cause.

On my side, I have been racking up the miles - over 3,100 of them since 1st January, including "Chase the Sun" a 200-mile one day epic ride from the East to West coast of England on the longest day of the year.

In the process i've racked up over 47,000 metres of elevation gain, the equivalent of summiting Mount Everest from sea level more than 5 times.

I've been doing my part, all I ask from you is to click a few buttons and donate whatever you can ;)

Dan x

The challenge

Over three days in early September I’ll be cycling around 270 miles from London to Paris in support of Action Medical Research, a charity that has funded life-changing medical breakthroughs for more than 70 years.

My route will take me through the Kent countryside to Dover, then from Calais via Amiens through to the finish line at Paris's iconic Eiffel Tower. It’s a tough challenge (a three-day ride is uncharted territory for me!), but one I’m excited to take on in support of a cause that has made such a profound difference to children and families.

The cause

As a proud Dad, I know how much we all want the best possible start in life for our children. Action Medical Research has played a part in some truly remarkable advances that have helped to make this a reality. These include supporting the development of the first UK polio vaccines, to making ultrasound scanning in pregnancy routine, to helping test the rubella vaccine so fewer babies are born with serious infection-related disabilities.

More recently, Action-funded research has helped improve outcomes for newborn babies at risk of brain damage, and has contributed to advances in supporting children fighting rare diseases and childhood cancer - have a look here: https://action.org.uk/research/research-we-fund.

These kinds of breakthroughs are the reason I’m taking on this challenge — to support the scientists and clinicians working to prevent illness, improve treatments and give more families precious time together.

Please consider sponsoring me — every donation helps keep this vital research going and gives children and families the best chance in life.