A cyclist has completed a gruelling 960-mile challenge dubbed 'The Great Ness Ride' to remember friends who lost their lives to motor neurone disease (MND).
Pete Hawkins, 62, challenged himself to ride through destinations across both Scotland and England with “Ness” in the name in memory of Tony Hams and David Ellis, who lost their lives to MND within two years of diagnosis. Pete began the 13 day cycle on June 24 in Durness in the Highlands.
He then made his way to Alness, West Shinness, Loch Ness, the River Ness, Inverness, Bo’ness, The Nesses - a field in the village of Haxby, near York - before finishing on Friday at Crossness Sewage Treatment Works, London. The keen cyclist, from Tideswell in the Peak District, covered a total distance of 960 miles to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and raise public awareness of the disease.
Pete cited former Scotland rugby international Doddie Weir, who set up My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and died from the disease in November 2022, and ex-rugby league star Rob Burrows, for raising more awareness of MND.
He said: "MND is still underfunded and it is not as much in the public eye as a lot of other diseases. MND is not a disease I knew much about, but I think Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow have raised it up in the public profile."
After two of his friends lost their lives to MND within two years of their diagnosis and without family by their side due to lockdown restrictions, he thought he should “do my little bit” to honour their memory.
He said: “Because I rode a national ride, it had to be a national charity, so I thought let’s support the MND Association. Just try and raise a bit of awareness and a few pennies, just to do my little bit.”
Throughout his ride, Mr Hawkins met people from the MND Association who he called “heroes” and said meeting them was “the highest spot of the ride”.
He said: “I’ve met some lovely people from the MND Association… they’re heroes. They do all the work on a day-by-day basis. They’re just very inspiring people and doing what they can to raise funds and raise the awareness and the profile of the disease.
“I think the highest spot of the ride was meeting local Motor Neurone Disease Association folk on the way down.”
Mr Hawkins said he was “chuffed to bits” after beating his fundraising target twice. He said: "I’d originally set the target at £3,000, broke that before I started the ride, set it to £5,000, broke that about five days ago, so now I have upped it to £7,500."
He encouraged people that fundraising for charity can be simple and that “anybody can do it”.
“We’ve lost two or three friends from motor neurone disease with Tony and David, and suddenly life can change so you just have to enjoy it,” he said.
“I think if there’s any message that doesn’t sound too trite, then just get out and do something.”
To support Pete's cause, visit the JustGiving page by clicking here.
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