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Why:
Last September one of my closest friends and someone who in many ways was like a big brother to me, sadly passed away. Neil's death was sudden and unexpected, and for those who knew him, this has left a huge hole.
Coming to terms with this hasn't been easy at all (hence why it's taken me 10 months to make this page) and there are several of us who believe it simply wouldn't be right to let this happen without some sort of epic gesture of commemoration at the very least.
It sounds cliché, but Neil was genuinely the kindest, most genuine bloke you could hope to meet. As a friend he would literally travel the country to come help you out and give you advice; and now it's time for us to put some serious graft in for him...
The Challenge:
Day 1 - 9th Sept - Whitehaven to Penrith (Bike)
Day 2 - 10th Sept - Penrith to Tynemouth (Bike)
(Total 140+ miles)
Day 3 - 11th Sept - Great North Run (13.1 mile run - half marathon)
The Goal:
To build a commemorative mountain bike trail in Neil's name. This will be done at Hamsterley Forest in County Durham, a place where Neil and his family made many happy memories growing up and more recently where Neil spent his weekends mountain biking.
There has already been a great start made on the build by Neil's colleagues & friends, but it is estimated we require a collective total of £40k to complete it. The trail will be permanent and will pass the spot Neil's family chose to scatter his ashes.
It really is a fantastic spot and for those who haven't been, I strongly recommend taking a visit, whether on bike or foot, if for nothing else other than to take in the stunning views!
The build is being done in conjunction with Hamsterley Trailblazers, a great charity who offer youth coaching & volunteer opportunities in the North East and also provide and maintain MTB facilities accessible to all.
Thanks for reading and for any of your generous support in advance,
Josh
