Undertaking the challenge of cycling over 900 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats is hugely exciting and scary in equal parts. It gives me a target for which to lose weight and get fit at a time when that is more clearly than ever to my benefit, but also gives me a great excuse to raise money for a great charity. A number of my and Ali’s friends and their families in Kent have had to make use of the services provided by Pilgrims Hospices, and we have been hugely appreciative of the care and sensitive support provided by their staff. Without all of our financial assistance, these Hospices cannot continue to provide this fantastic care. To find out more about their work I have included a bit more detail below or please do go to www.pilgrimshospices.org.

Pilgrims Hospices provide specialist care to patients and their families across East Kent. Their vision is of a community where people with a life-limiting illness remains supported and empowered, together with their family and friends, to live well in mind and body, and make the most of the time they have.

Pilgrims have proudly provided skilled and compassionate care, completely free of charge, to the community of East Kent for over 30 years.

Approximately 30% of people who die in East Kent are cared for by Pilgrims. They are now caring for more than 2,500 a year - a figure which is set to climb in the years ahead as people live longer and with more complex conditions. This care is given in their three inpatient centres, in their therapy centres or in patients’ own homes. Pilgrims also provides a 24/7 telephone support service to patients and carers and offer bereavement support.

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. Examples of what the charity might do with the money are below:

£10 could buy a patient’s meal for a day

£25 could pay for an hour of nursing care

£35 could pay for complementary therapies to soothe a patient’s anxieties

£100 could pay for a therapy session to help a child coping with the loss of a loved one.

Thank you so much for your support.