I am going to participate in the New Forest Classic challenge ride on April 13th 2025, and will be riding the 92km (57 mile) route, which has to be completed in 6.5 hours. I have commited to ride for charity to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK.

The importance of raising funds for research into Alzheimer's disease is close to my heart. My mother suffered for years from this horrible condition which shrank her world, with its relentless erosion of her personality, frightening confusion, loss of cognition and, finally, her dignity. Standing by, being unrecognised by her, and being unable to halt her decline, I felt the utmost distress at losing the essence of her so long before she finally died. Too many of us have had the same experience with people close to us, and as we get older, we too face the prospect that the same fate could be ours. We need desperately to invest in the research which can lead to earlier diagnosis and interventions to halt or prevent dementia.

What is the role of Alzheimer's Research UK?

"Every 3 minutes dementia steals a happily ever after. Research is our only chance of changing the ending for people affected by dementia.

We are the UK's leading dementia research charity. We exist for a cure.

Your donation helps our scientists and researchers find new ways to diagnose dementia, develop new treatments and find a cure for dementia.

Watch and share our new film: https://bit.ly/ARUKForACure"