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Cyclists from Bike the UK for MS stop off in Inverness to give donation to the MS Society Inverness and Nairn branch on their way from John O’Groats to Land's End


By Ian Duncan

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Bike the UK for MS stop off in Inverness, on their John O'Groats to Lands End cycle, to meet Helen Hamilton, MS Society member, and Anita Duffy, MS Society Group Coordinator. Picture: James Mackenzie
Bike the UK for MS stop off in Inverness, on their John O'Groats to Lands End cycle, to meet Helen Hamilton, MS Society member, and Anita Duffy, MS Society Group Coordinator. Picture: James Mackenzie

A group of cyclists has made a donation to the MS Society Inverness and Nairn as they called into the Highland capital on their way from John O’Groats to Land's End.

They were from Bike the UK for MS, which works in partnership with the MS Society, and make donations to local groups along the route.

Group founder James Whateley, who is originally from Farnham in Surrey but now lives in Canada, said he started the organisation in 2014 after doing a number of trans-America cycling trips in the previous two years.

He said: “On those adventures I met Bike the US for MS, our now partner organisation, and fell in love with what they were doing as a charity.

“The premise was getting people out and travelling the vast country of America while raising funds for, awareness of and building their own knowledge of multiple sclerosis.

“It was an amazing event and something I wanted others to experience right here in the UK. We would stop off on route and meet local MS groups, hear their stories of living with the disease and get a real sense of purpose for why we were riding.

“It would provide all the motivation necessary when riding up the mountains in the rain. We’ve replicated this by meeting MS Society groups across the country to give the riders a real sense of what having MS is like. Many of our cyclists have little or no ties to MS so it’s nice for us to raise awareness for them. My grandfather also passed away with MS before I was born which added that extra boost I needed.”

They started with a single fundraising event, which was also Land’s End to John O’Groats, in 2014 and have since expanded and became a registered charity in 2017.

Mr Whateley said: “Now we run five different multi-day cycling challenges, ranging from two weeks to three days, as well as various virtual and single day events throughout the year.

“The routes include Land’s End to John O’Groats and the reverse southbound route as well as a new eight-day North Coast 500 ride starting and ending in Inverness in early September.

“This will become a regular on our calendar from next year. The three-day rides follow the Sea to Sea route from Whitehaven, Cumbria, to Tynemouth.”

Anita Duffy, group co-ordinator for the MS Society Inverness and Nairn, said they were unable to do the route last year because of the pandemic.

She joined the group just after being diagnosed with MS in 1999 and she said that a lot of the group’s activities had been put on hold during the lockdown. She added: “This event, meeting with and supporting Bike the UK for MS charity, is hopefully the start of our group being more active again.

“For the past five years years or so, bar last year, we have met these amazing cyclists in Inverness. In turn, they give our group a substantial donation. We use this money locally.

“It goes to our annual Christmas lunch, or towards any equipment or home alterations someone with MS might need. It’s a different group of cyclists every year. Some of them have no connection with multiple sclerosis, which is even more incredible.

“We’re just grateful to these enthusiastic, caring cyclists who want to help people affected by MS. It’s such a variable disease.

“There is no cure yet, and some people really need our help whether it be financial, social or just requiring information.”

• For more information on the charity or to take part in future events, visit here.


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