A dad of two who cycles to work just once a week is gearing up to cycle a gruelling 50 miles around Nottinghamshire next month to raise money for charity in memory of his grandad.
Dean Grimshaw, a school business manager from Woodthorpe, is currently training ahead of the Cycle Live bike ride on June 24, when he hopes to raise £500 in aid of Nottinghamshire Hospice.
Staff from the hospice, in Woodborough Road, cared for Dean’s grandad, Frank Carroll, when he was dying from cancer five years ago.
Dean says not only did they give vital support to his grandma and his family, they also allowed them much-needed respite by looking after 90-year-old Frank in his final days and enabling him to die at home.
The memory of their care has stayed with Dean and so when he decided that he wanted to take on a challenge for charity this year, he opted to raise money for the hospice.
The Cycle Live event offers riders the choice of five different routes of varying lengths and although Dean originally chose the Robin Hood route, which takes riders 25 miles through villages such as Ruddington, Keyworth and Radcliffe-on-Trent, he has since upgraded his challenge to the 50-mile Friar Tuck route, which extends the journey to include Long Clawson, Redmile and Granby.
He is currently building up the mileage as part of his training and is enjoying the opportunity to use road-bike, which he bought two years ago and wants to get more use out of.
He said: “Most people who know me know that I’m not exactly Mr Exercise, but every two years I look to do something that stretches me and raises money for a fantastic local charity.
“Nottinghamshire Hospice is a charity that’s close to my heart because they supported my grandma through the hard times of watching someone she loved pass away in front of her, whilst ensuring dignity for my grandad and allowing him to stay at home throughout.
“It will be a real challenge for me. I cycle to and from work once a week and when I get there I’m exhausted, so although I’m slowing building up my miles, completing 50 miles is going to be a huge achievement.”
Nottinghamshire Hospice is hoping that more people follow in Dean’s tyre tracks and take part in Cycle Live to help raise the £2.7m it needs every year to keep operating.
Funded purely by donations, the hospice is looking to raise £50,000 by hosting a series of charity challenges this year, including running events, skydives and treks up Kilimanjaro and along the Great Wall of China.
Elaine Hopkins, community fundraiser at Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “We’re so grateful to Dean for offering to raise money for us and taking on what promises to be a gruelling challenge next month.
“We wish him all the very best with his training and his bike ride. Without the generosity of people like Dean we could not carry out our work, so we hope that his gesture will inspire more people to take part in the event on our behalf as well.”
To find out more about how you can help the hospice through its charity challenges events contact the fundraising team on 0115 910 1008 or email fundraising@nottshospice.org. You can also visit the Nottinghamshire Hospice website: http://www.nottshospice.org/
To sponsor Dean visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dean-grimshaw1
ENDS
Notes for Editors
The full list of charity events is:
Summer Solstice Skydive – June 23.
Women’s Running 5k and 10k – July 8.
London to Paris Cycle Ride – July 25 to 29.
Tandem Skydive – September 8.
Ikano Robin Hood Half Marathon – September 30 in Nottingham.
Ben Nevis Trek – September 28 to 30.
Kilimanjaro Trek – October 11 to 21.
Great Wall of China Trek – October 19 to 27.
