The photo is of my big brother and me taken in about 1971. I was about 14 and Bob 19, My dad’s immaculate Morris 1100 in the background and Bob and me leaning on his Morris Minor (I would buy it off him for £150 about six years later). I always copied the things Bob did (I think it's an irritating younger brother thing). He was and still is my hero. Always quiet with sound words of advice and encouragement. And so it was that Bob phoned me a few years ago to tell me that he had Parkinson's Disease. Him in his calm matter-of-fact way, me pretty rubbish and having to put the phone down until I could call him back without bursting into tears. Five years on and Bob apart from a few set backs has managed well, still the same calm reflective big brother. He meets up regularly with a local young onset Parkinson's group and I helped him produce a little book last year to help other people cope in the early years.

Last year we managed to raise nearly £6,000 and it would be great to get that to £10,000 this year. So I don't know what the Irish hills are like, but I know that getting a bit nearer that target will help me get up them.

If you would like to sponsor the ride, every bit helps, please go to the justgiving page
for the ride here.

The Parkinson’s Disease Society is the leading advice, research and fund raising group in the UK.