Sponsored Bike Ride by Toni Godfrey

15 October 2005


My name is Toni Godfrey and I am 15 years of age. I live in Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire. My cousin Jack Plester (shown below), from Hertfordshire, is 30 months old and has Duchenne muscular dystrophy I got the idea of doing a sponsored bike ride after my family went on the Race Against Time lobby to Westminster. When they said how productive it had been, I decided that I wanted to do my bit. I designed a sponsor form on my computer and set out to get sponsors.

I woke early on Saturday 30 July because I couldn't sleep, whether through excitement or nervousness I'm not sure.

I went downstairs after getting dressed waiting for 11:00am to come, the time I would leave for my bike ride. I wore my tracksuit bottoms, and my race against time t-shirt, that my nan got me. My mum took my photo. At 11am I set off, it was a great day to be doing a bike ride, the sun was out and there was no wind to slow me down. As I set off towards Coats (to get to Turfs) down the dirt path, I felt really good. On my way home I got a bit worried because I started to slow down and get worn out and I was scared that I wasn't going to finish, but I was determined to complete the task i'd set myself. Once I got home I realised that it had taken me 2 1/2 hours to get there, but 3 1/2 hours to get back.

I am very pleased with my effort because, providing everybody pays me, I will collect in excess of £250 which I will be sending to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.