Hello Everybody.
First I'd like to wish you all well.
25 Cyclists are going to cycle over the Alps over 7 days, in 14 stages to raise awareness of KD, and to raise funding for our awareness campaign over here in the UK. They are hoping to raise £15,000 and have already had donations totalling £3,000 on the first day on the Just Giving Website. The page is under the name of Andy Symington one of the riders. We do not have charity status as yet so the Motor Neuron Disease Association is going to collect the donations for us and transfer the funds to our account when the event is finished and the Just Giving page is closed.
They are wearing our Kennedys Disease Raising Awareness (KDRA) logo on the back of their shirts and everything is in place for the tour to start on the 15th July 2013.
The effort needed to complete the tour is enormous. Snow, ice, freak weather conditions and low oxygen levels are some of the dangers they will have to overcome.
A fellow cyclist of theirs has been diagnosed with KD and they decided to do the Tour to raise awareness of KD. We are the only active awareness campaigners in the UK and so we were offered to be the recipients of any donations recieved. I am amazed at how this has taken off and overwhelmed by the amount they are hoping to raise. It has been a massive learning curve over the last couple of months and thanks to the other members of our newly formed committee we are just about on top of it all.
What more can I say other than a massive thank you to the riders, the sponsors and all our Facebook members who are frantically sharing our posts about the tour, and links to the Just Giving page. Please feel free to visit our Facebook page to get a better picture of what these riders are doing for those affected by KD. The riders also have a dedicated page which will be updated on a daily basis as the race continues. Please like and share the page if you do visit. Their Facebook page is called... Rga2013
Thats about it for now. I will keep updating this post as more news arrives.
Best wishes to everyone. Eric

The Just Giving page total in three days has reached £4,000 pounds already. Below is the link to the riders Facebook page. If you do pay them a visit please like and share the page. We need to raise their profile as much as possible to encourage more sponsors and donations.
Many thanks. Eric.

https://www.facebook.com/RGA2013

The Just Giving page and other sponsorship has now reached over £8,000. I am amazed at peoples generosity and good wishes for the riders. I'll update again in a few days.

The Riders sponsorships and donations are in excess of £10,000. I keep saying this is amazing because to me it is. The ride they intend to do is Brutal and they will all suffer great pains to achieve their goal. What an awesome thing to take on in the name of Kennedys Disease.

I agree wholeheartedly Eric. I congratulate all the participants in this great effort. Remembering the support people as well as the others left at home. 'They also serve who only stand and wait' Thank you everyone. As time passes and Kennedy's takes over, you really appreciate what efforts are being made on our behalf.
Graham.

Eric, this is great news. You and your team have done a great job in getting the message out. Thank you.

Hi Bruce/Graham. Still trying to maintain momentum while we can. Andy Symington, one of the riders, has been the main co-ordinator for the RGA2013 Tour. I'm just tagging along trying to get as much exposure as I can for them. As you have both expressed in the past. "It's about what we can do" At the tour finish line will be Jodie my daughter, Gilly my sister, Karen my niece, and Sharon, a friend of Gilly's. They have KDRA T shirts, pens, stickers, and other promo items as well as a momento for every rider and the three support team members. One of whom is travelling from Australia to be there. We are hoping to get some press coverage locally in France and Karen will be writing and sending the story to Disability Magazines, and other interested media. Jodie will be taking still camera shots and Sharon will be getting it all on video for Facebook and websites like U Tube. Gilly who is the main Ambassador for us will be presenting momentos and a speech. In the evening it will be bling and best party frocks for the girls as they will be going to the riders celebration party.
We are still waiting for HMRC to get back to us regarding our registration as a charity. If it comes through in time we may be able to claim Gift Aid on the sponsorships and donations. Fingers crossed for that. Thats about it for now. Report complete.

Best wishes to you both.

Eric.

Eric, thanks for the update. I am sharing your updates with the KDA Board.

You group continues to grow and do well. I hope your 'charity' status comes through soon.

Thanks for the update Eric. I can only say well done to you all. Thank you.
Graham.

Hi everyone. The Route des Grande Alpes tour has ended and all the riders arrived safely at the finish line. We arranged a suprise welcome comittee which included Jodie my daughter, Karen our treasurer, Gilly my sister and Sharon a friend. All the riders families were also there to meet them and I am told it was quite an emotional moment for them all. Everyone got an engraved medal and after a champagne shower, the riders and the comittee ran into the sea to cool down. After a good meal they all partied and danced the night away together. No doubt there will be lots of pics and some video footage on our Facebook group in the next day or two. I would have loved to have been there but I know the girls did a great job representing the KDRA.
The total amount of donations topped a massive £21,500 and I am told it could go even higher yet with post Tour donations. Amazing.

Thanks for the update. You guys did it right!