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Andrew Webster

JLT North Team Ride for Mitch

Total raised

£3,865.08

+ £578.75 Gift Aid

128%% Complete
128% of the £3,000.00 target

JLT North Team Ride for Mitch

Fri 16 Jun 2017

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Thank you for raising money for life-saving work. All the money raised is being used to help beat cancer

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In support of JLT colleague Tony Brown, Mitch, and their family to help beat childhood cancer.

My Story

Having heard the news of 3 year old Mitch's shock brain tumour diagnosis this year, a small team of JLT colleagues have come together to raise as much money as possible to go towards finding a cure for this terrible disease. On 16th June 2017, Ian Scott, Andy Taylor, Andy Green and Andy Webster of the JLT Leeds and Manchester offices will undertake to cycle a known and challenging cycle sportive route. This is a 75 mile route around the Yorkshire Dales which involves around 6,200 feet of gruelling climb. A few words from Mitch's Dad, Tony:- For us, as a happy family at Christmas to find our lives turned upside down the first week of the New Year has meant a lot of adjustment and a re focus of life's priorities. I'm not completely sure how we have come through so much so quickly to be relatively 'sane' but I do know that the support and generosity, well wishes and concerns of friends, colleagues and family has helped more than any of you could know. It feels and means we are not in this fight alone. Any support you are able to provide for this very worthy cause would be hugely appreciated and will provide a great motivation for us to succeed 28th May 2017 – Training Update:- Sunday 28th May 2017 saw ¾ of the ‘Ride for Mitch’ team meeting for a training ride in the Yorkshire Dales. The ride took in a proportion of the actual route, and the team managed to sample a few of the 15-20% Yorkshire Dales gradients the route will kindly have to offer. A mixture of warm weather, good humour and a few refuelling stops saw the team members present conquer their first, and only (?) Yorkshire Dales ‘group’ training ride. The euphoria of completing the ride, did however, quickly give way to an air of nervous anticipation at the prospect of tired, burning legs on the many steep hills which will await on the day! Credit to Andy G who coped admirably following a ‘late night’ and a pre-ride gym session, and also to Ian who rode an extra distance (from home) to conquer his longest ever ride to date. We are all hugely appreciative of the very generous support we have received to date, and will continue the training to ensure we are able to give the ride our all on the day for this very worthy cause. Saturday 10th June 2017 – Training Update:- Saturday 10th June, as the event drew near, saw a slightly different ¾ of the JLT North Team meet in Ilkley for a team training ride/a recce of part of the early part of the course. This time Andy Taylor had to forgo any chance of a lie in to make the journey over to Yorkshire for an early Saturday start, while Andy Green rested a worrying calf strain. The team met in Ilkley and sampled some of the feared climbs and descents in what could only be described as a biblical level of rainfall for the bulk of the ride. Despite the deluge, often characteristic of the Yorkshire weather, the team succeeded in battling through the rain and tackling the hills while remaining in good spirits along the way. A stop off for hot soup and a sandwich towards the end of the ride helped re-establish the glow, and fuel the remainder of the final group training ride before the big day. The group training ride was carried out under the backdrop of an update on Mitch’s battle. Mitch continues to receive chemotherapy with 2 months left to go. Mitch is requiring hearing tests, as the chemotherapy drug being administered will more than likely make him permanently deaf. Mitch has been fed by a drip for the past 7 weeks (20 hours a day) as he is unable to keep anything down, but he continues to go through an hour of physiotherapy each day and has retained his ability to walk throughout his inspirational fight. Mitch’s bravery remains in our minds as the event draws near, and will continue to motivate us throughout. Again, the team is very thankful indeed for all the very generous support received to date, and will remain ever hopeful that your generous support will go a long way towards finding a cure for this devastating disease. Friday 16th June 2017 - THE EVENT:- Sunrise on Friday 16th July saw the dawn of event day. The team met in Ilkley in cool but calm weather. Following a pre-ride photo-shoot, and some light hearted banter about the fit of their team gear (and the challenge ahead), the ride was underway spurred on by an incredibly touching photo and good luck message from Mitch himself! The training paid off as the team ascended the first few hills with relative ease, however, Andy G’s troublesome calf muscle, his poor gear selection, Andy T’s sore hip, and Ian’s incredibly near miss with two charging adolescent sheep, did threaten to hinder the team’s progress! Andy G did eventually manage to master the art of gear selection, and like true warriors of the cycling world, both he and Andy T battled on through their injuries assisted by pain killers. The ride continued smoothly until the team hit the most northern part of the Yorkshire Dales route where they were confronted by breath taking headwinds and rain. After the challenge of the poor weather, Ian too managed to overcome a personal battle. Having attracted further threatening and somewhat aggressive glances from the local flocks along the way, like a true team player, Ian took it upon himself to polish up his herding techniques and round up a small flock of sheep who were blocking the road ahead, all of this from the saddle! The team advanced ‘sheepishly’, and, assisted by the wind and a less punishing final section, managed to conquer the ride in just over 6 hours (moving time). All of this took place as Mitch entered into further chemotherapy treatment, and this remained at the forefront of the team’s thoughts throughout the day. Thank you all again for the very generous sponsorship received (currently at £2,600!). This money raised will go towards the important work needed to ensure that in the future, children like Mitch can receive the best and most advanced care possible, and we remain ever hopeful that this critical work will bring about a cure.

CAUSE

Childhood cancer

Each year, around 1,500 children are diagnosed with cancer in the UK. Thanks to major advances in research, around three-quarters of children with cancer now survive. Help Cancer Research UK discover better and kinder treatments for all cancers and to continue to improve overall survival for childhood cancer.

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Total raised£3,865.08
Online£2,865.08
Offline£1,000.00

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