Next Sunday (19th Sept) I will be cycling 113 very hilly miles through the Lake District, including Hardknott Pass one of the UK’s steepest roads. This is the Fred Whitton challenge - a great community event in the Lake District that grew out of the local cycling community and has raised £millions for charity - including Macmillan Cancer Support.

Many of you know that I do quite a bit of cycling so I don’t usually ask people to dig in their pockets every time I do a ride... But this time I thought I would try to raise a few pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of my much missed good friend Huw Brooker.

Huw sadly died in 2017 aged just 47 due to a brain tumour, but I know that Macmillan were a massive support for him and his family through everything. Huw was a brilliant lawyer and one of the kindest, funniest human beings you could ever meet. For 12 years he was my best mate and co conspirator at Ofwat which we joined within weeks of each other in 1999. Huw had a chuckle-inducing Reggie Perrin-like take on the absurdities of the workplace, a forensic legal brain and a wicked sense of humour. Of course I and many other people miss him and were lucky to know him.

If the thought of me torturing/humiliating myself on some of the UK’s steepest hills tickles you, then please do consider supporting my ride for Macmillan Cancer Support next Sunday 19th September.

There's more on the route I'll be riding here https://www.fredwhittonchallenge.co.uk/route/ 

I will post updates in the build up and aftermath!

At Macmillan, we give people with cancer everything we’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are our worries. We’re doing whatever it takes. But without your help we can’t support everyone who needs us.Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them 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.