I am joining Simon Colvin in the 2025 Fred Whitton Challenge to raise funds for Evie's Night Owls, a charity founded by our friends Sam and Lee Bladon. We have both known Lee for over 25 years, since we shared a house together at law college in Chester.

What is the Fred Whitton Challenge?

Known as the UK's toughest one day cycling event, the Fred Whitton will see us cycling 112 miles around the Lake District, tackling over 3,500 metres of climbing, including over all of the main passes (such as Hardknott, Wrynose, Kirkstone and Honister).

What is Evie's Night Owls?

Evie's Night Owls was founded by Sam and Lee as a direct result of their personal experiences with their young daughter, Evie.

Due to oxygen deprivation at birth in 2012, Evie suffered severe brain damage and lived with multiple life-limiting illnesses, which resulted in the need for constant care. In addition to looking after Evie, Sam and Lee had two other very young children, and as a result, a peaceful night's sleep was very rare. For Sam and Lee, it took a 3-week stay in intensive care at St. Mary's Hospital to qualify for any publicly funded overnight respite care at home.

Although there was support for day respite care and limited hospice support, the necessary overnight respite was not provided. Sam and Lee wanted to change this reality for so many families so that they never have to experience the turmoil and suffering they did. Through fundraising, they have funded many hours of overnight respite care for families with children suffering from a life-limiting or terminal illness or condition requiring round-the-clock care.

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 charities.