Father and son on their 'toughest and biggest' adventure

Dad Dave Brooks - who is 72 and lives in Eastcombe, near Stroud - and son Andrew - who was born in Birmingham but has links to the Cotswolds - are cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for mental health charity MIND.  

Together, the pair have so far raised almost £4,000 for the charity. 

Previously, they have raised money for Blood Cancer and Cardiac Risk in the Young, through previous ventures where they cycled 100 miles in one day in London and rode from the English capital to Paris in four days.

This year’s charity bike ride – which they started on Saturday, June 4 – is to be their biggest and toughest adventure yet.

Dave and Andrew Brooks are cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for mental health charity MIND.  

They will be riding 1000 miles during 14 days between Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 19.

“We like raising money for good causes and spending time with each other,” explains Andrew.

“I myself have a heart condition but long-distance cycling is something I can do.

“It’s going to be like nothing we have done before.

“We are going to have to dig deep both in mind and body and push each other when it feels like we do not want to go on.

“When we originally decided to do this, mental health didn’t seem to be talked about as much.

“But we did have friends and family members who had suffered before, so it was something we had a connection to.

“We are raising money for MIND, a charity which is at the forefront of bringing mental health to public attention and offering support for those who need it.

“The funding will be going straight to the charity.

“We would be honoured if people dug equally as deep and supported us as in previous occasions.

“After the pandemic, nobody can claim they haven’t suffered over the last two years.

“I am really proud that my dad has decided to continue on this journey with me.”

For full details of the fundraiser, visit - https://bit.ly/38WFYUR