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Monday 25th July 2011  The 'stadium tour'

cycling team Graham Dodds, Andy Gillatt, Colin Tomlinson, Paul Wealleans

Back up team Hugh Lunt & Amy Downham (Dick Dasterly & Penelope Pitstop)

We continued the fund raising effort by attempting to cycle from wennington hall School  to Blackburn Rovers FC followed by visits Leeds FC, Hartlepool FC, The staduim of Light at Sunderland and finally St James Park Newcastle. We set off on a fine monday evening at 7.00pm and our aim was to cycle through the night until the job was completed. We eventually arrived at Shearers bar In Newcastle 24 hours and 15 minutes later.

Some heroic cycling efforts by the 'young ones' (Graham & Andy) and a valiant  effort by the 'not so young one' (Colin) all functioning on a diet of go faster gels ( Rhubarb and custard flavour highly recommended) and a Mcdonalds breakfast and backed up superbly by Dick Dasterly and Penelope Pitstop meant the adventure proved to be 'life affirming'. The legs became weak, the backside sore, the lycra sweaty and the traffic manic but the lure of that pint of guinness in Shearers bar (even for a Sunderland supporter) and the desire to support and give something back drove us all on to the end.

Can I give my utmost thanks and admiration to all who have contributed in the two cycle rides so far and to all who have donated and fund raised so magnificently. Without your effort, time, commitment and passion for the cause none of this could have been possible or achieved. You have helped to make the passing of our grandson MacKenzie a little less painful. THANKYOU.

Please read on for the full story.

The story so far

11th May 2011

This is Mackenzie, my only grandson, soon it will be his second birthday, as presents go I would love to give him the new heart he desparately needs, I cannot of course do that but what I can do is try and raise some funds to help make his life and the lives of children like him as comfortable as possible and that they recieve the best possible care in the hope of a positve outcome. That care comes from the dedicated and talented staff working at  Paediatric ICU and ward 23 within the Freeman hospital Newcastle. In order to raise funds, myself and some very special friends all ageing gracefully but still up for a challenge will cycle from Kirkby Stephen to Newcastle on Sunday 29th May 2011 to celebrate Mackenzies birthday.

Thankyou for spending some time reading this please donate if you can but please also spend a little of your time considering and exploring the organ donation page www.organdonation.nhs.uk

Many thanks and best regards

Paul Wealleans

17th May 2011

Sadly Mackenzie lost the fight for his life waiting for the new heart that never came, the fund raising effort continues, however if you do nothing else today please consider the issues around organ donation and maybe you could prevent another senseless waste of a precious life.www.organdonation.nhs.uk

29th May 2011

Many many thanks to all who have donated on and offline so far,despite one encounter with a crazy geordie driver we all successfully completed the bike ride from Kirkby Stephen to the Bobby Robson Memorial garden Newcastle and as a luck would have it only a few steps away from Shearers Bar! After being suitably refreshed we returned to Soulby for a fund raising Quiz night. Thankyou very much to my lovely wife Suzie who arranged and catered for all at the event and to Richard our superb quiz master and to all who supported the evening, as a result you contributed £305.50 to the offline donations. A thank you also to the staff and contractors at United utilities who had a collection and raised £228.