Pedalling furiously

One of the most pleasant parts of my job is going along to meet people who have raised money for BRACE and to receive a cheque from them. The cheques are nice to have, of course (quick mental “kerching” as I picture the research fund mounting) but the real pleasure is meeting people. People who do remarkable things because they want to help someone.

On Monday, I was invited to Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club to receive a cheque for £1,220. The money had been raised by three members of the club, Tony Sarafian, Iain Dunnett and Bill Bennett, who cycled all the way from John O’Groats to Lands End. This would be an impressive feat for most of us, but is all the more so when you consider that their average age is 72. Another club member, Richard Kingscott, then organised sponsorship and achieved a total of well of £3,600.

As a result, BRACE, local MS charity BrAMS and a local scouts and guides group all received generous cheques (and a warm welcome from the members). This is a great effort and we are very grateful to the cyclists and the Rotary Club generally.

With so many people struggling financially, we are having to work much harder and be smarter in order to raise the same level of income. We are all pedalling furiously, some literally and most of us metaphorically. We can do no other – dementia research isn’t going to become less urgent just because there’s less money about. So, if you’re a keen cyclist and want to generate money for charity through your pedal power, please give us a bell.