Alright, here’s the deal. We’re Stopsley Stumble – a group of middle-aged blokes who’ve somehow managed to stay mates since school. Frankly, we’re as surprised as you are. On 21st June 2025, we’re attempting Race the Sun in the Brecon Beacons. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? Spoiler alert: it’s not. It’s a 36-mile bike ride, a 9.6-mile hike, and a 2-mile kayak – all in one day, all before sunset. So yes, someone genuinely thought, “Let’s see how much these dads can suffer in Wales.” Naturally, we said yes. Why? Because we’re raising £1,900 for Action Medical Research for Children – and that’s the only thing stopping us from chickening out.

Now, let’s talk about the team. Neil and I (Ren) are the ones with a fighting chance. We’re vaguely athletic, by which I mean we occasionally break a sweat doing something other than opening a bag of crisps. Then there’s Ian. Ian’s not exactly built for endurance, but his unpredictable mood swings might just carry him through. One minute he’ll be grumbling about how ridiculous this all is, and the next he’ll be furiously powering up a hill out of pure rage. If nothing else, it’ll be a spectacle. And finally, there’s Dan – bless him – whose back is made of matchsticks. One awkward step, and we’ll be carrying him on a stretcher while he apologises profusely for the inconvenience.

But here’s the thing – we’re doing this for a genuinely brilliant cause. Action Medical Research for Children funds life-saving research for kids facing tough medical challenges. So yes, we’re willing to drag our sorry selves through the mud, sweat, and probably a bit of blood, to help give these kids a brighter future.

Here’s where you come in. We don’t expect you to join us (you’ve got too much self-respect for that), but we do need your support. Every donation, big or small, gets us closer to our £1,900 target and helps fund critical research for children who really need it. And let’s be honest, the thought of us stumbling around like overgrown toddlers on a Scout trip is worth at least a fiver, isn’t it?

So, dig deep. Stopsley Stumble: Raising cash, breaking backs, and proving middle age isn’t just for comfy slippers.

Cheers for the support. And don’t worry, we’ll provide plenty of photos and video footage from Neil's Go Pro – because if we’re going to embarrass ourselves, we might as well share the laughs!

Action Medical Research is the leading UK-wide charity saving and changing children’s lives through medical research. For 65 years we’ve helped pioneer ways to prevent disease and develop treatments benefiting millions of people. Our research has helped to beat polio in the UK, develop ultrasound, fight meningitis and prevent stillbirths. But we urgently need to develop more new treatments and cures for sick babies and children and we can’t do it without you.

Join our fight for little lives.