Cycling across Costa Rica

A massive thank you to everyone for all the words of support and encouragement and of course sponsorship over the last 6 months. Wish me luck... 550km of cycling but we've raised £250,000 for Alzheimer's!

I'm cycling across Costa Rica for Alzheimer's Society because the 'Live Well' campaign will change lives. The photo shows some of the team leaving Heathrow yesterday for this fund-raising challenge.

But I am still trying to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Society and my Just Giving page can be read here.

So what's this all about....why on earth would anyone volunteer to spend 7 days on a bike, in pretty hot temperatures, cycling about 500km (310 miles in old money)...

My sponsor letter was published on AudlemOnline in November last year which explained that I, along with 33 of my colleagues from Lloyds Banking Group, will be cycling 'Coast
to Coast' across Costa Rica in 7 days to raise over £140,000 for the Alzheimer's Society.

The money we raise will go towards funding the first national support programme for people living with dementia and their carers. This pioneering campaign led by Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer Scotland will provide life-changing support for people living with dementia, their families and carers.

In order to get the amazing 'Live Well' program off the ground we need your help. Over the next few months I personally aim to raise at least £4,000.* In order to reach my target and hopefully exceed it I'm running a number of fundraising events as well as looking for sponsorship.

Well did you know...

• There are 800,000 people with dementia in the UK with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2021. This will soar to 1.7 million by 2050.
• Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life, ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. As a country we spend much less on dementia than on these other conditions
• Unpaid carers supporting someone with dementia save the economy £8 billion a year.

I'm pretty confident you'll know someone affected by dementia. That could be someone either suffering a form of dementia or caring for someone with dementia.

The money we raise together will enable Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer Scotland to launch the first UK wide dementia carers programme 'Live Well'.

Live well is designed to support carers by providing them with'the tools they need to make sure their loved one lives well.

I've seen first hand how devastating dementia can be on the individual and the family and friends that surround them...so that's why I decided to 'get on my bike' so to speak.

I do love a challenge and this is certainly a pretty big one! If you know me well you'll know that come hell or high water (as the saying goes) I'll drag myself across that country! I'm that stubborn.

So dig deep people...you don't really need that extra pint or Monday morning coffee (I'm thinking of your health).
Much Love'
Charlotte x

*Update from Charlotte's mother Cheryl: "She has already exceeded her £4000.00 she needed to raise but via her Just Giving page we might be able to raise more.

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