One man and his motorcycle – Gary’s fundraising story
Posted 2 years ago in the Challenges, Community Fundraising, Volunteers and fundraisers categories
By travelling to all four corners of the UK in just 36 hours, Gary took on an incredible challenge and raised over £2,000 for Canine Partners.
A 54 year old criminal defence lawyer, Gary had always been interested in taking on the ‘Iron Butt UK’ challenge, a motorcycle ride that visits all four corners of the United Kingdom in 36 hours. Gary often rides long distances and wanted to add an extra dimension to his challenge, so decided to fundraise in memory of his own dog Sampson.
Gary was inspired by seeing the bond his mother has with her dog, Jake, and the joy he brings her and he knows our partnerships have that same special relationship. “I was greatly moved by the bond I could see between the Canine Partners assistance dogs and their partners. It’s a wonderful, special bond. I just had to get involved and help.”
Read Gary’s story:
As well as the main challenge, I set myself a personal target to cover 1,000 miles in 24 hours. And at the 24-hour point, I had completed 1,236 miles. I was really pleased and whilst I didn’t need to do any additional training for the challenge as I ride long distances all the time, I did need to prepare myself mentally. Riding a motorbike on your own through the night, almost non-stop for 36 hours, is tougher than it sounds!
On the road
The most difficult leg of my trip was from Lowestoft to Land’s End, which took nine hours. I had to keep my mind sharp as it was pitch black, there were no motorways for the second half of the leg, unlit roads, and all kinds of hazards. Riding across Bodmin Moor at 3:30 in the morning, through the mist under a huge full moon is a sight that will be forever be etched in my memory. I kept telling myself it’s all for the doggies!
Vital fundraising
When I set up my JustGiving page, I was hoping to raise £500. The donations kept coming and I started to hope that I could reach £1,000 and they continued until I had raised a total of £1,974 and a friend kindly donated to get me to £2,000. It didn’t stop there and my final fundraising total, with Gift Aid, reached almost £2,500. I was astounded and incredibly emotional that people were so generous, particularly during a very difficult time for all of us.
Amazing achievement
I’ve been riding bikes for 37 years and this challenge was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. However it was much physically tougher than I had expected it to be. I completed the challenge in 33 hours and 22 minutes, so I even had time to spare! I’m very proud of that.