A dad of two from Woodthorpe who cycles to work just once a week is gearing up to peddle 50 miles around Nottinghamshire next month to raise money for charity in memory of his grandad.
Dean Grimshaw – who works as a school business manager – 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 Dean has chosen the 50-mile Friar Tuck route, which runs from West Bridgford to Redmile and back.
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 by using their participation in Cycle Live to help it 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 challengers events contact the fundraising team on 0115 910 1008 or email fundraising@nottshospice.org
To sponsor Dean visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dean-grimshaw1
