Hi,

As most of you are aware my beloved late Mother lived with multiple sclerosis (MS) for most of her life. Mum was a true inspiration to me and others and here are some of reasons why.  In the late 1990’s recognising the tremendous strain that the illness was putting on the family unit Mum sacrificed her life at home and moved into the Sue Ryder. Mum was so determined not to let her illness define her. Mum continued to volunteer in local primary schools helping children develop their reading abilities something which she continued to do up to the last 6 months of her life. In addition, she also helped the NHS in training young doctors in the psychological understanding and the impact MS has, she even spoke in the House of Commons about this matter very much holding court!!  This is just the tip of the iceberg, the things she achieved through such adversity were truly humbling and inspirational to everyone she came into contact with. 

Everyone who knows me, and the family knows the influence and the love she had for her boys. She taught us many important life lessons, not through talking but through her actions every day. She was determined and never gave up as living with MS is no joke, she was adamant her ability and not her disability would define her and the example she set through that will forever live in our family.

In 2022 I completed the Alpe De Huez Triathlon not for any other reason apart from trying to deal with my grief of losing her and trying to inspire Jake (my son) but I realize now that I should have done more. So here goes!!!! The MS Trust does such vital work in supporting individuals and families. I promised Mum that I would one day run the London Marathon for the MS trust however a chronic injury to my foot (big toe!!!!) has stopped that and I am now going for the next best thing!!!

I am gearing up for Ford Ride London-Essex 2024 on the 26th of May which is a 100-mile ride. As part of my training and some extra fun I am also training to complete a number of bike rides across 2024, from the Cheshire CAT in March, Ride Lancashire in April, The Glorious Gravel - in July plus a 2.5km swim in the Serpentine in late summer. I am on the training program currently for all of this and have all the different gadgets and recovery aids you can possibly imagine (including an outside ICE BATH come on that’s got to be worth a couple of pounds knowing the pain that comes with that!! )

Every day I think about Mum and as I have been undertaking some pretty gruelling training sessions, from early morning cold dark rides I am reminded of the incredible work done by the MS Trust. They are a UK charity that helps everyone make sense of MS, providing support from diagnosis and throughout their journey. The MS Trust receives no government or NHS funding, which is why I am fundraising for them.

Did you know that just £15 could provide telephone support to someone with MS? Or that £100 could cover the cost of providing the Making Sense of MS guide to everyone diagnosed with MS in one week? And £1,765 could pay for a newly-appointed MS specialist nurse to receive foundation training in MS care through the MS Trust's development module.

I am inspired by the work done by the MS Trust and grateful for their dedication to helping those affected by this disease. As I prepare for Ride London 2024, I ask you to join me in supporting this incredible organization. Every donation counts towards our target of £1000 GBP and will make a difference in the lives of those living with MS.

Any donation however small would be gratefully appreciated,

thanks, Simon

In Memory of Gillian Mary Gerrard my Mum