Worcester man to cycle 1,000 miles for Parkinson's charity
Henry Deakin has already raised £50,000!
Last updated 20th Apr 2023
A man from Worcester will attempt to cycle the length of the UK, to raise money for Parkinson's UK.
Business owner, Henry Deakin, will be joined by eight friends cycling from John O'Groats to Lands End in ten days next month.
Henry, who manages a family-run jewellery designer company, said he was inspired to fundraise for the charity after his father, David Deakin, has been living with the condition for many years.
Henry said his father's main symptom of Parkinson's was tremors, which eventually caused him to retire from being a jeweller.
"Dad was the most fantastic designer. The shakes put a stop to him being able to design fine jewellery and painting, which was one thing he absolutely loved.
“When my father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, we were shocked and saddened. Seeing him struggle with the physical and mental symptoms of the condition was heart-breaking, but it also inspired me to take action."
The goal is to reach £100,000 for Parkinson's UK and half of it has already been raised.
Henry told Free Radio the training has been challenging, but spirits are high:
"It didn't seem so gruelling when he started planning it", he said jokingly.
"Between us, we've been training in the evenings, in the weekends, and trying to prepare ourselves for what will be a pretty good challenge."
Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, affecting around 145,000 people in the UK.
Last week, buildings and monuments across the UK were lit up in blue for World Parkinson's Day (12th April).
Henry hopes the money raised will help towards one day finding a cure for Parkinson's:
“Through this fundraising challenge, I want to support the research into better treatments and help find a cure for Parkinson's.
"And by sharing my Father’s story, and the impact that Parkinson's has had on our family, I hope to inspire others to get involved and make a difference."
The group will be setting off from John O’Groats, on the 6th May.
They will head up into the highlands, through the Lake District countryside, and over the cliffs of Devon, before finishing at Land’s End.
Ghalib Ullah, Head of Commercial Partnerships at Parkinson’s UK, said:
“Henry and the team taking on this epic challenge are truly inspirational and we wish them best of luck. I’m also looking forward to joining them for part of it!
“With more than 40 potential symptoms, Parkinson’s can devastate lives. We’ve made huge breakthroughs in the last 50 years, but there is still no cure and current treatments are not good enough.
“We’re so grateful to Henry and the team for their incredible fundraising and helping us get closer to better treatments and ultimately a cure.”
More information about the fundraising challenge can be found at JustGiving.Com |newtab).