We wanted to do something to support the appeal that has been set up in Richard's name (Percy's Pals), and also do something to remember him. We came up with the idea of cycling from "End to End" (Land's End to Hedge End), and running an event afterwards to raise more funds. To find out more about Percy's Pals, please visit http://percyspals.com/

The doctors will be setting off from Land's End on Thursday 12th June and arriving in Hedge End between 5 and 6.30pm on Saturday 14th June - over 260 miles. The ride also climbs over 20,000 feet over the 3 days - this is the equivalent of climbing two thirds of the way up Everest!

Dr John Bush,  Dr Mark Hollands, Dr Karl Graham and Dr Sam Heal are cycling all three days. Dr Ruth Padday, Dr Liz Cropley, and Dr Leigh-Anne Bascombe are doing part of the ride to ensure we don't lose all our doctors from the practice at once! The rest of the staff are manning the practice whilst they are away, and helping out with running the event on the Saturday. There are also relatives of the doctors cycling alongside and providing support services.

Ruth Padday:

Tash is my daughter and is severely disabled. She is quadriplegic , non verbal and has epilepsy. As such her enjoyment of life is participating in activities in a passive way. She loves the outdoors and we have had a lot of fun on her Duet bicycle .

Tash has had input most of her life from Wessex Neuro centre .Together we identified that a baclofen pump might relieve her of her spasticity and her spasms which made her life and her cycling intolerable. The pump works by delivering the drug into the spinal column where it is needed. As is the case with less mainstream operations the wrangling for funding resulted in the unfortunate coincidence that she had her operation to fit the pump on the day that Richard collapsed.  Tash’s life has completely changed . Before it she would arch her head back and scream and her bowel would become bloated with symptoms much like severe colic. She has thrived since it’s insertion and her quality of life has improved dramatically.

We are cycling to raise money in memory of Richard and to help the Wessex neuro centre buy a portable CT scanner. Thanks to the success of her baclofen pump we are able to participate in this fundraising event.

Tash and I will cycle from Lands End to Penzance as the others leave on Thursday 12th and then from Romsey back to Hedge End on the Saturday 14^th June. Our aim is to arrive in Greta Park, Hedge End around 3.30-4pm.