While many of us will be beginning to relax into summer on June 12th, student Daniel Denman will be cycling 70 miles from Retford to Skegness Pier, to raise money for The Stroke Association.
The charity is close to Denman’s heart, after his grandad suffered a stroke last year. He says that the help they received from The Stroke Association was “tremendous”.
Denman decided on the idea of doing a sponsored bike ride with his friend, Daniel Roberts, over Christmas: “I wanted to do something for charity, but I didn’t know what. A sponsored sky dive was a possibility at one point, but we dismissed it as it wouldn’t take much effort.
“We decided we wanted to push ourselves, and thought in the pub over Christmas, dressed as Santa, that we’d cycle to Skegness in the middle of summer.”
He will be riding alongside his aunt, Julie Woodhouse, who will also be raising money for The Stroke Association, and Roberts, who is cycling for Cancer Research.
Denman knows it will be a challenge, especially as he hasn’t been on a bike for over ten years.
“We’ve all been training, although some better than others. My aunt has been cycling around Germany [where she lives], and so is well prepared. However Dan and I were going to the gym, but due to my new job, training has stopped,” he says.
When he began his fundraising campaign, Denman set himself the target of £1,000, but says that he’ll be happy with whatever they raise: “Any sponsorship is fantastic, and we appreciate it greatly. However big or small, we will be very proud of our contribution. Between us at the moment we have raised £250.”
As well as fundraising, Denman says that the day will be a personal accomplishment: “It will be a major achievement for all three of us, and a day we’ll all remember. For me, it will be a very proud moment when I finish, because my grandad will be meeting me at the pier, along with most of my family and some friends.”
It may also be a case of ‘watch this space’, as although he hasn’t completed this cycle yet, Denman admits that he would like to take part in other sponsored events in the future.
“I would love to try a marathon, and would do another cycle, but aim for 100 miles next time. I think as long as it’s for a good cause, then it’s worth it,” he says.
If you would like to sponsor Daniel Denman or Daniel Roberts, visit the websites: http://www.justgiving.com/Daniel-Roberts , http://www.justgiving.com/JulieWoodhouse