C4C 2010 – Family Fundraising from the heart
Abington man Pete Collins needed no second invitation when it came to taking part in this year’s Cycle 4 Cynthia. The event, which is one of the biggest fundraisers in the calendar for The Friends of Cynthia Spencer Hospice and the county’s branch of Macmillan Cancer Support, has donated more than £100,000 to the two causes since it began six years ago.
Sadly Pete’s wife Allyson is one of thousands to have to call upon the charities for she was first diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago and three years ago was told it had spread to her bones and is incurable. Until recently Allyson attended weekly sessions at the hospice’s day care centre and continues to have the support of a Macmillan Nurse. Back in June, Pete and Allyson held a blessing service at the hospice to celebrate their relationship and mark 21 years of marriage.
Says Pete “Allyson had to retire from work three years ago because of her health and going to the sessions and meeting up with those affected by cancer and who can appreciate what she’s going through is a real support at what is of course a horribly difficult time for her and for all of the family. The care that that hospice staff have shown and the practical and emotional support offered by her Macmillan Nurse, Sharon, are immeasurable and if pedalling a few miles can keep that kind of service going, then that’s the very least I can do to say thank you for all that they do.”
Now, thanks to support from his colleagues at Towergate Risk Solutions in Northampton, and fellow members of the local branch of the Chartered Insurance Institute, Pete hopes to have a team of fifty cyclists taking part this year. “I cycle around 40 miles each week” he added “but I’d never heard of Cycle 4 Cynthia before and it seemed like the perfect way to help raise as much money as we can. Even my mother-in-law and sister-in-law are coming up from Portsmouth to join in so I’m sure it will be an incredibly emotional but very rewarding day.”
Cycle4Cynthia 2010 will, for the third year running, link up with the Saints and the event’s three routes - five, 25 and 50 miles in length – will start and finish at the club’s home ground, Franklin’s Gardens. Entry is £10 for adults, £5 for children and £25 for families and entry forms and sponsorship forms are available by visiting www.cycle4cynthia.co.uk More details are also available by calling 01604 678088.
Sue Bownass, from the Friends of Cynthia Spencer Hospice, commented, “Pete and Allyson’s recent marriage blessing was a really wonderful event and it’s moments like that the few people realise we can offer here. To maintain that level of exceptional service we have to raise £650,000 a year through fundraising activities and charitable donations and that’s why events like Cycle 4 Cynthia are so vital to us. I would urge anyone of any age to come and join us for what is always a wonderfully inspiring day!”
Meanwhile Marcus Cox, who is Macmillan Cancer Support s new fundraising manager for Northamptonshire added “The charity has an annual target of £518,000 for the county alone and the event is such a key fundraiser for us. I hope that this selfless story will inspire many others to get out their bicycles and help us to continue to offer the kind of support we’ve been able to give to the Collins family and many others like them.”
To find out more about the event, or to download entry and sponsorship forms, log on to www.cycle4cynthia.co.uk or contact Sue Bownass on 01604 678088.
If you would like to enter a corporate team, or to discuss your business requirements in more detail, please email annamurby@hotmail.com