2011 UK Challenge

Prior to Kirsty's death she had started to follow in her father's footsteps and become madly keen on motorcycling. Kirsty became the proud owner of an ex riding school 10 hp small Honda motorbike which had seen a hard life.

Kirsty began planning to travel round the UK on her bike to raise £10,000 for 'her kids'. To Kirsty all children who were sick or in need of care were 'her children'.

One evening with this in mind she spent two hours laughing and planning the trip with her father before leaving the family home - sadly she never returned having been killed in a road traffic collision two miles from the family home.

After reflecting on Kirsty's life John decided to honour his daughter and her devotion in helping sick and terminally ill children and her dogmatic determination to raise money for 'her kids'.

So on 12th August 2011 John set off from the family home at Lochailort to make the trip on his daughter's wee bike - big fat bloke on wee bike was quite a sight, he travelled complete with period silk scarf on coat hanger in 1930's garb with Eeyore on the back as pillion.

The trip took one calendar month. John managed to travel the 5,000 miles within the three weeks with hours to spare. The thing is he stuck to the rules and used every tow path tidal road and dirt track in the UK hugging the coast.

Every penny donated went to help the children. John used sponsors to help give him a bed for the night but often slept in ditches or under hedges.

The end result was that the public helped raise just over £13,000 pounds during the trip (every penny of which goes to help children in serious need) and a 10hp 125cc motor bike made 8,053 miles around the UK including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

John wants to do the entire island of Ireland. The reception from north and south was so incredible he fell in love with the place and is determined to go back and do the whole island for a charity run date to be set.

It doesn't end though. The wee bike survived as did Eeyore, so John is preparing to go off again.

No cash from donations made in aid of Kirsty's Kids was used for administration or expenses on this charity fundraising event. Even fuel was purchased from personal funds or jerry can donations.

Thank you so much.

Kind Regards from all the trustees of Kirsty's Kids'.