In the last 3 years I have very sadly lost 5 friends to cancer, Ali, Helen, Hellen, Sam and Wendy, all female, all with breast cancer, along with losing much loved family members in the past as well (Uncle Jack - Prostate cancer and Auntie Jean - Breast cancer - Sue Taylor - Breast cancer).

In my store I had a young member of my team lose his father last year to cancer as well, I have a member of my team living with cancer, another member of my team who's mother was very recently diagnosed with throat cancer, the same member lost their Auntie to cancer 02/07/25 and another colleague who's grandfather has cancer, I also have a colleague who's beloved show horse died of cancer recently.

MacMillan has been so supportive in every way possible (obviously not for the horse), I cannot thank them enough for all the time and kindness they have given.

So, my page, I am paying them forward, because we are probably going to need their help at some point, be it physically, emotionally. mentally, financially (and in many cases all four).

I have been invited by MacMillan to attend a Macmillan at Work Masterclass course so I can better understand and help people around me living with or dealing with cancer related issues, obviously I accepted.

So please do not shy away from the doctors, get yourself checked regularly, it will make a difference.

I am not fit, not by any imagination, especially as I contracted a chest infection 3 years ago so I had to take off my mask at work as Covid was still very much present, within a week I had a very nasty case of Covid and just to top it off I had a stroke as well, I was one of the lucky ones, when sadly so many people were not.

I will be starting my event on the 26th June and finishing it on the 26th July 2025, the plan is to do 333.33 miles cycling, 333.33 miles running and 333.33 miles walking in 30 days, oh and I am fast approaching 60 years young !

You can donate in my store at Toolstation Newbury with cash, card or online, I will put a QR code up in my store and it will probably be on the front and back of my MacMillan shirt as well, so if you see me cycling, walking or running just scan me :-)

I know this is going to hurt me physically and mentally to do this, but it pales into insignificance compared to a person suffering with cancer.

So if you can donate a little or a lot, every penny goes to MacMillan Cancer Support, helping people (and their families) at the end of their life and others living with cancer, thank you for reading this and have a lovely day.

Route:

Various routes in and around Newbury thanks to Co Pilot, favourite was Newbury to Kintbury running along the canal path, but I did get a bit frustrated with mountain bike riders who seemed to think they had right of way and were peddling way too fast!, exercise bike in or outside the shop (depending on the weather) and walking to and from work with a slightly adjusted route around Victoria park to make up the miles.

We are also doing a raffle in store with many different prizes (including the exercise bike that cost £249), 8 prizes of Choose Your Booze (maximum £30 each prize) and many more with all proceeds going to MacMillan Cancer Support, draw date 26th July 2025 (over18's only).

As I will be on a journey, let me share with you some very influential albums that have shaped the dance music we hear today.

30 days playlist

1 Kraftwerk – ‘Trans-Europe Express’ (King Klang, 1977)

2 David Bowie – ‘Low’ (RCA, 1977)

3 Donna Summer – ‘I Remember Yesterday’ (Casablanca, 1977)

4 Philip Glass & Robert Wilson – ‘Einstein On The Beach’ (Tomato, 1978)

5 Grace Jones – ‘Nightclubbing’ (Island, 1981)

6 Beastie Boys – ‘Paul’s Boutique’ (Capitol, 1989)

7 Massive Attack – ‘Blue Lines’ (Virgin Records/Circa, 1991)

8 Primal Scream – ‘Screamadelica’ (Creation/ Sire/ Warner Bros. Records, 1991)

9 Jeff Mills – ‘Waveform Transmission Volume 1’ (Axis Records, 1992)

10 Underworld – ‘Dubnobasswithmyheadman’ (Junior Boy’s Own, 1994)

11 Leftfield – ‘Leftism’ (Hardfield/Columbia, 1995)

12 Goldie – ‘Timeless’ (FFRR Records, 1995)

13 Aphex Twin – ‘The Richard D. James Album’ (Warp, 1996)

14 DJ Shadow – ‘Entroducing…’ (Mo’ Wax, 1996)

15 The Chemical Brothers – ‘Dig Your Own Hole’ (Astralwerks, 1997)

16 Daft Punk – ‘Homework’ (Virgin, 1997)

17 The Prodigy – ‘The Fat Of The Land’ (XL/ Maverick, 1997)

18 Fatboy Slim – ‘You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby’ (Skint records 1998)

19 Paul Oakenfold – ‘Tranceport’ (Kinetic, 1998)

20 Amon Tobin – ‘Permutation’ (Ninja Tune, 1998)

21 Basement Jaxx – ‘Remedy’ (Astralwerks, 1999)

22 Moby – ‘Play’ (V2, 1999)

23 Royksopp – ‘Melody AM’ (Wall Of Sound, 2001)

24 The Avalanches – ‘Since I Left You’ (Modular, 2001)

25 The Streets – ‘Original Pirate Material’ (Locked On/679, 2002)

26 Michael Mayer – ‘Immer’ (Kompakt, 2002)

27 2 Many DJs – ‘As Heard on Radio Soulwax Vol. 2’ (PIAS, 2002)

28 Underworld – ‘Anthology, 1992-2002’ (JBO/V2, 2003)

29 Various Artists – ‘Trax Records: The 20th Anniversary Collection’ (Casablanca Trax, 2004)

30 Modeselektor – ‘Hello Mom!’ (BPitch Control, 2005)

I just wanted to say thank you so much to Sue, an amazing donation, the Atkins family, thankyou so so so so much, Ritchie, you are amazing and always will be, Ali and Rob, always funny and generous, Jilly Homersham thankyou so so much and I hope you find the right sealer for your super expensive porcelain massive patio, Irene, thank you so very much for you being you, Lauren (is there a doctor on the plane?), you are awesome, Wendelin, you are an amazing young man and I wish you every success for the future, the offer still stands for a run together, but you will have to slow down as you are fitter and faster than me, Mr Turner, well, you are an amazing and very talented person, working 24/7 pretty much, Keith, thank you, you are always smiling and happy), Mark Rabbits, absolute gent in every way, Mark and Gill, we will have to catch up soon, Bex, lovely chatting to you and thankyou for your donation, Nikul thankyou so much, you have so many projects going on, keep it going, it has been a while and thank you anonymous peeps, thank you so very much indeed, every penny goes to help those who are in a place we can only try to understand.

Also for those who are topping up the MacMillan bucket, thank you, in particular, Andrew Parry, you are an absolute diamond, a true gent, very few left in the world, Darren (awesome plumber and always smiling), Pete (always extremely funny, can do pretty much anything and has a lovely boat), Peter (with the most awesome Lambretta), James (a very knowledgeable gent with awesome tales to tell), and of course everyone else who drops paper or coins into our collection pots, thank you all so very much, it means so much, words are not enough, every penny makes a difference.

I went out for a run in the morning of 19/07/25, got about 200 metres and had to stop, the pain in my left knee is just too much to handle it was like someone had hammered a nail into my kneecap, I now have to wear a knee support until it gets better, which I hope is sooner rather than later.

Mileage breakdown so far after 30 days.

Total = 1250.6

Walking - 317.3

Running - 233.2 Now stopped due to extreme pain in my left knee, it is excruciating, So it is strapped up so I can carry on walking and cycling until the end of the 30 day challenge (26th July)

Cycling - 700.1

Stay well, stay safe and have a lovely day.