Last year at the 2014 UK Dairy Day, the Howard Sneesby memorial award was presented to Bryan Challenor. Never could an award be better suited, as it is presented each year to someone who has made a significant difference to others through constant support and encouragement.
Anyone who has had the pleasure of working for, or alongside Bryan, will know that his passion for the Holstein breed, the dairy industry and the individuals within it is absolutely endless. Over the years Bryan has sourced jobs, organised study tours, social trips and placements, for literally hundreds of customers, colleagues, friends and, importantly, endless numbers of young people trying to find their way in agriculture.
One of the people Bryan loved to travel with most was Ian Montgomery, he was a great friend, colleague, and outstanding judge of cows and character. This is what made Bryan’s news last year even more devastating, he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, the same disease which Ian had eventually lost his battle with a few years previously after a hard fight.
Motor Neurone Disease is a progressive disease that attacks the motor neurones or nerves in the spinal cord and brain. This makes it increasingly difficult for the brain to maintain contact with the muscles, so they eventually start to get weaker and then waste. At any one time in the UK about 5000 people are suffering with MND and, despite all of the wonders of modern science, there is still no cure for this horrible disease.
In the autumn of last year, several close friends, family and colleagues got together to see if there was anything they could do. Cycling for Bryan was born.
Explaining the task in hand Ben Nottage said: “On May 3rd 2015, seven of us will leave John O’Groats on bikes to cycle the whole length of the UK in just 10 days. The total distance of our route is 945 miles, so we have to average just less than 100 miles a day. The great news is, we are not doing this alone,
www.cyclingforbryan.co.uk was set up with details of our route. So far we have had just under 40 wonderful people who have volunteered to join us cycling on some of the days and raise additional, valuable sponsorship for our cause, the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA).
“The team has done everything themselves from the initial plan, to the route, accommodation, stops, pretty much everything you can think of, including a fantastic back-up and support crew to follow and help us along the way. The website is now fully up and going, with details of the whole event, we are on social media with Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as a Just Giving Page
www.justgiving.com/cyclingforbryan, making those all important donations easier for people.
“If you knew Ian, know Bryan, or have been touched in any way by MND, then you can help in so many ways. We would love for as many people as possible to join us cycling and raise some sponsorship. If you can’t do that, then please sponsor someone who is, or the team event as a whole. You can also help by raising sponsorship for us, just by getting in contact and asking for a sponsorship form so you can canvass your local area.
“The money we raise cannot directly save those people who are currently living with MND, but by giving to the MNDA, we can hopefully help make their lives easier and help find a cure for the future.
For any more details, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via any of the following methods:
www.cyclingforbryan.co.uk cyclingforbryan@outlook.com Facebook: Cycling for Bryan Twitter: @cycling4bryan
www.justgiving.com/ cyclingforbryan
Alternatively, please give Ben or Rob a quick call:
Ben Nottage – 07968 700720 Rob Braithwaite – 07976 937603
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