Please note that we are supporting two charities and you can choose to donate to either or both. If you wish to donate to both you will need to make a donation on each page and do please tick the gift aid box if you can - it will boost your donation by 25% at no extra cost to you.
We are blogging the ride at:
http://tewincyclistslejog.wordpress.com
http://www.reflections.org.uk/blog
From 1 to 8 June five Tewin residents, Malcolm Allen, Mike Horsman, David Room, Andrew Swift and Jeff Tipper will undertake a cycle ride from Tewin to Edinburgh to raise money for research into heart disease and cancer. Also there will be Graham, Ian and William Horsman, Mike's three sons. The ride is about 450 miles in the eight days. Additionally, as a prologue, Malcolm, David, Andrew and Jeff intend to cycle from Lands End to Tewin; and then, as an afterword, with Mike added, cycle from Edinburgh to John O'Groats. This means that the total mileage covered by the eight riders will be about 7,500 miles! This note explains why we are doing this - and why we think it very important.
Cardiovascular disease and cancer between them killed nearly 65% of the total number of people under 75 who died in Great Britain in 2009 (123,753 out of 191,341). That is an awful lot of premature death. It means that by far the likeliest reasons that you, the reader of this note, or those dear to you, may not reach a full term of life are heart disease and cancer. Many of you, like us, will have personal experience of this harsh truth. Paul Tipper, Jeff's brother, died of lymphoma aged 58 in 2009. Graham Horsman, Mike’s brother and Graham, Ian and William's uncle, died of bowel cancer in 2010, aged 59.
Of course research and the advance of medical science has given those stricken a better chance than used to be the case. Andrew Swift had prostate cancer in 2006 and his brother a year later. Malcolm Allen had prostate cancer in 2010. David Room's wife and sister, both in their fifties, had heart procedures in 2009 and his mother cancer surgery in 2011. Mike Horsman had a heart attack and angioplasty in 2010. They all received high quality medical treatment and survived. The cycle ride is being undertaken as a thank you for the help which was received, as a memorial to those who died, and also to give others who now or in the future are faced by heart disease or cancer an even better chance. Everyone deserves a full and healthy life. Every contribution towards fighting these diseases helps towards that. We ask you to give generously. Every penny goes to these fine causes, none on the costs of the ride; we are meeting all those ourselves.
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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
