From Down Under

to

Cycle Cornwall for Charity

ENDED 31ST OCTOBER 2007

OUR HEARTY THANKS TO ALL DONATORS, SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS:

We raised £5,145.50!

The campaign is now closed.

WHAT WAS CYCLE CORNWALL ALL ABOUT? (Please read on if you are interested.)

Background	Contact
The goal	Timing
Why NCI?	The route
Why Macmillan?	Sponsors
Daily Diary

Background

Lesley MacLennan has lived in Sydney, Australia since 1981. Every two years, and more frequently in recent times, she ‘comes home’ to her County of birth, Cornwall. Lesley and her brother Graham Hawkey were born at Redruth and raised on a farm near Polruan and later at Port Isaac. Lesley moved to Australia to live in 1981 and Graham, with a great deal of travel in between, lived the last eight years of his life at Wadebridge. Graham was diagnosed with cancer in April 2005 and tragically passed away on 31^st July last year.

In memory of Graham, and inspired by his deep interest in the Cornwall based lookout stations of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), Lesley cycled from Boscastle around the coastline to Rame Head between 28^th September and 7^th October 2007 to raise funds for the NCI and Macmillan Cancer Support.

The goal

The goal was to visit every National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) station based in Cornwall to say hello and help generate as many donations as possible for two charities: the Cornwall based stations of the NCI and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Lesley traveled the distance of around 375 kilometres (233 miles) in 10 days keeping her appointments with each NCI station. You can read about her adventure and the wonderful support she received through her Bicycle Diary.

Why the National Coastwatch Institution?

Graham had a great passion for ‘his’ Cornwall and all things Cornish so it was hardly surprising he fell for the vision of the National Coastwatch Institution. In1994 when two Cornish fishermen lost their lives within sight of the empty HM Coastguard lookout at Bass Point, a group of local people, decided to set up an organisation to restore visual watches along the UK coast. The National Coastwatch Institution was born and the first station to open was at Bass Point, Cornwall , in December 1994. Putting eyes back on the coast quickly caught on and today there almost 40 watch stations around the country. (www.nci.org.uk/stations.htm).

Since 1998 when Graham launched his website, Destination-Cornwall, he was in daily contact with the volunteer watchkeepers at most of the NCI lookouts around Cornwall . Starting at around 7.00am, he would call the stations for weather and sea conditions to report on his website. He made friends with many of the watchkeepers over the years but only managed to see them in person on a few occasions - like Bill Waite from NCI Cape Cornwall who met Graham for the first time when they were both visiting Sydney, Australia, for Christmas in 2005.

Graham didn't miss a day’s reporting (excluding the very rare technical glitch) and his reports were live at 7.00am and 9.00am on the dot. To cover all areas of Cornwall Graham added reports from British International Helicopter for the Isles of Scilly, Lusty Glaze at Newquay and Bridge Bike Hire in Wadebridge. In all he would ring nine locations and chat through wind direction and speed, temperature, barometer readings, footpath conditions, visibility, cloud level, sea state, sea activity and general comment on what was happening ‘through the window’. This information was uploaded to his website every day at 9.00am, following his 7.00am forecast.

Graham found his involvement with the NCI stations, since the launch of his website in 1998, extremely rewarding. It provided a focus and on-line/on-phone friendships with people who had an equal passion for Cornwall and the Cornish coast.

Why Macmillan Cancer Support?

Graham first met Michael O’Keefe soon after being diagnosed with cancer in April 2005. It was Michael (and also his GP at the time, Dr Davis) who encouraged Graham to at least try chemotherapy – and it seems this gave him almost a whole 12 months to live, beyond the original view of the specialists. It was a very tough 12 months (how he fought and how he hurt) but a very special time with his daughter Jac, family and friends.

Macmillan Cancer Support provided exceptionally sensitive support to Graham to help him continue to lead his life as he wanted despite his illness. From small yet important things such as providing a special pillow and mattress or side-table, to vital assistance on a number of issues ranging from advice on diet to sources of financial support available to him. Michael O’Keefe, Nicky Harley and all at Macmillan Cornwall, based at Redruth, were always there for Graham and his family, and helped him achieve his great wish to stay at home throughout his illness.

The information Macmillan publish on their site is genuine. Graham (and his family) experienced practical, medical, emotional and financial advice and support without fuss or a debilitating process; he had enough going on just coping with cancer.

www.macmillan.org.uk

Back to Destination-Cornwall

Lesley in Sydney on (61) 02 9252 8114 or admin@destination-cornwall.co.uk

Timing

The fund-raising program started on 1st August 2007 and finished 31^st October 2007. Lesley cycled around Cornwall from 28^th September through to 7^th October. Visit Lesley's Bicycle Diary.

The Route and Schedule (2007)

Day 1: Fri 28th Sep

1: NCI Boscastle

Day 2: Sat 29th Sep

2: NCI Stepper Point

Day 3: Sun 30th Sep

Cycle Newquay to St Ives

(NCI St Agnes lookout closed for renovations)

Day 4: Mon 1st Oct

3: NCI St Ives (morning)

4: NCI Cape Cornwall (afternoon)

Day 5: Tue 2nd Oct

5: NCI Gwennap Head (morning)

6: NCI Penzance (afternoon)

Day 6: Wed 3rd Oct

7: NCI Bass Point to Falmouth

(NCI Nare Point lookout closed)

Day 7: Thu 4th Oct

Stay Falmouth

Day 8: Fri 5th Oct

8: NCI Portscatho

Day 9: Sat 6th Oct

9: NCI Charlestown

Day 10: Sun 7th Oct

10: NCI Polruan (morning)

11: Rame Head (afternoon)