Charity Fundraising Land's End to John o' Groats Cycle Ride -In under 4 Days PC 2444 Ian Johnston - Northern Division 
‘Jennifer’s Cancercare Appeal’ is planning a spectacular cycling marathon from Lands End to John O’Groats in July 2005, to raise much needed funds for Slynedales Cancercare in Lancaster. Local policeman Ian Johnston (41) is aiming to cycle the full length of the country in an amazing effort to raise valuable funds for the Cancercare charity. Ian, 41, is preparing to cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats, in just over three days non-stop. To do this he will have to be in the saddle pretty much all of the time, riding an incredible 220 miles a day. Ian is riding in support of his friend Jennifer Burrow, currently fighting cancer. He says of his gruelling plan: “My aim is to help Jennifer raise a large amount of money for Cancercare and to do this I knew I would have to do something which was considered a major challenge. I personally felt it necessary to push myself to the absolute limit and beyond, of my physical endurance in order for people to take notice and help me reach my goal. Having previously cycled across the Pyrenees and through the Alps I have chosen to ride from one end of the country to the other because people can identify with it. Many people have completed it, but few in less than four days.” Jennifer added – “Four years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and several operations, radiotherapy and three bouts of chemotherapy later I am still battling on. Throughout this time I have been very fortunate to have had the support of Cancercare at Slynedales in Lancaster. Cancercare is a local charity offering psychological, social, spiritual and emotional support, individually or in groups, together with advice, information, practical help and an extensive range of complementary therapies to cancer patients, their carers and their families in North Lancashire and South Lakeland from its main centres at Slynedales, Lancaster and The Lakes Centre, Kendal. Additional support is offered in the three main local hospitals at Lancaster, Kendal and Barrow-in-Furness and in St John’s Hospice, Lancaster. There are also six drop-in centres. In 2003/04 Cancercare supported more than 1300 people and offered more than 14000 therapy sessions – all free of charge. The cost of providing the service was £661,000, roughly equal to £45 per session, all of which was funded by support from the community, including a 10% discretionary grant from the NHS. The increase in service last year of 20% is predicted to accelerate and anticipated costs for the current financial year are more than £700,000. Donations of any kind are gratefully received and most welcome. We have a limited range of sponsorship packages which offer advertising on an exhibition unit already donated to Cancercare which will be travelling with Ian throughout the country and exhibited at local and regional events for the next 2-3 years. If you can help in any way please contact us or forward cheques to the above address payable to ‘Jens Cancercare Appeal’.” To contact Ian call 07950 699803. 
Technical Data from Ian Johnston.... My training schedule is approx 200 miles per week from this week onwards, 250 in May, and 300 in June. !!!!!
I will be doing the ride on a Trek OCLV carbon fibre road bike. I also have a support team of a physiotherapist (for my back),
nutritionist and Doctor, with two motorhomes.
The 28ft exhibition unit we have already donated to CancerCare will be parked up in Dalton Square hopefully on the day I travel through Lancaster. Sponsors who give £250 or more are having logos put onto the unit if they so wish as part of their sponsorship.
I am also planning to put in place a competition to guess the time it will take me to travel between two points, I have yet to decide on. This is going to be instead of sponsor forms, I am going to offer a holiday abroad as first prize and hope to sell tickets for £5 a guess. This I will put into place next month and would like the facility to be able to put it onto the website, if we can do that.
 
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