Grandad from Peak District village takes on 900 mile bicycle ride in a bid to help MND sufferers

Pete Hawkins, 62, from Tideswell, Peak District took up cycling six years ago after his knee told him he couldn’t run again.

The grandfather of five and the dad of two first decided to do something he loves while helping others last year – when he cycled from Cork in Ireland back home to the Peak District in memory of a friend and raised over £4,500 for Ashgate Hospice.

Now he has decided to take on a much bigger challenge as he will cycle for over 900 miles from Durness in North West Scotland to Dungeness in South East England in a bid to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Pete, who runs a website design comapny, said: “I first wanted to ride from Duness to Dover but one of my friends made a joke that it doesn’t rhyme. I took on the challenge and decided to go from Durness to Dungeness – and find as many places with ‘ness’ as possible to cycle through on the way."

The Great Ness Ride will see Pete riding through some of the UK's most scenic and challenging landscapes and visiting as many Nesses as he can find along the way, including Alness, Loch Ness, Bo’ness, and the Cross Ness sewage farm in London.

Pete, who has never cycled this far over so many days before, will set off from Durness on June 24, and will post updates on his journey on Facebook.

He said: "It is a long ride but I am excited for it. I have been doing over a 100 miles every week and cycling on a bike in my cellar on rainy days.

"Because I am doing a national ride, I want to raise funds for a national charity this time. One of my friends was diagnosed with MND during covid pandemics and died within two years, while another person from my village has passed away due to MND a few months ago.

“It is fantastic what the Rob Barrows appeal has done to raise awareness of MND, but I think the more can be done the better.”

In the UK there are about 5,000 adults living with MND and there is a 1 in 300 risk of getting MND across a lifetime. The disease can affect adults of any age, although it is more likely to affect people over 50.

Pete, who has already raised almost £ 2000 via his JustGiving page said: “MND is a cruel and unforgiving illness. Everyone needs your support to raise the profile of MND and help to fund life-saving research.

"It’s hard times, people are struggling - but it means charities are struggling too. Every penny helps, even if someone can spare a pound it is fantastic. It doesn’t have to be large donations and if you can’t donate - spare a word, mention it to your friends and maybe they can donate.”