My Story

Cycle Challenge 9th to 11 August 2021 - Nelson, Caerphilly (South Wales) To St David's Hospice, Holyhead - 205 Miles - A Ride For Dad.

Just over 12 months ago my Dad, Bill Coleman, lost his battle and slipped away exactly 3 weeks after his diagnosis with Stage 4 cancer. He was 89 years old. I'd only just joined the Welsh Ambulance Service, in North Wales, and managers within the Trust, in NEPTS, were fantastic with their support and arranged for me to travel back to South Wales to work out of Bargoed, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare during Dad's last few weeks. This was at the start of the first pandemic lockdown and we were unable to get Dad home, or into a hospice at that time. Since the funeral, due to the pandemic lockdown, I've only been able to travel to South Wales once to visit Mam.

Dad was a Police Officer with South Wales Police for 30 years, in Nelson and Bargoed where he spent his last 14 years on CID. I was born and brought up in Nelson, Caerphilly where Dad was the village Bobby for 15 years. We lived, initially, in the old Police Station in the village which is alongside the only handball court in Wales which has held the World Handball Championchips.

Dad retired from South Wales Police in 1985 which was the same year that I joined North Wales Police with my first posting being Holyhead. I'd previously served in the RAF for 8 years, I was a Bobby in Holyhead between 1985 and 2005 working on both the town and SB at the port.

Since I first arrived on Anglesey in 1983 I have been travelling the A470 from Holyhead to visit Mam and Dad in South Wales by both car and motor bike. I last owned, and rode a pedal cycle, when I was 12 years old. Now, nearly 50 years later (and also being several stone heavier) I have decided to cycle from The Old Police Station, Nelson, my old home, to St David's Hospice unit at the Penrhos Stanley Hospital, Holyhead which is only a couple of hundred yards from my first police house in Holyhead, a distance of over 200 miles.

We all deal with grief in different ways and it's been a difficult 12 months. I know that I'm not alone in having difficulty coming to terms with the loss of a parent, or other family member,  particularly during the last 12 months under what's been an extremely difficult period of time.

I will be cycling alone and without any support which will give me time to think and, I hope, proces things and enable me to come to terms with things a bit better.

I will be leaving Nelson at 0900 Hrs on Monday 9th August 2021 from the Handball Court next to the Old Police Station in the village and, hopefully, arriving at St David's Hospice, Holyhead late afternoon on Wednesday 11 August 2021. It would be great if anyone who knows me, especially the Boys Of 1L from 1971, could come and see me off - just to verify I did leave the village on a bike!!! 

I want to try and raise as much money as I can for St David's Hospice so that they can continue to provide the help, support, respite and end of life care for those living with life-limiting illnesses, as well as providing support for many of their families. We, as a family, would have appreciated this type of service, had we been able to make use of it last year.

I will be cycling along the A470 then the A487 and the old A5 across Anglesey, as much as I can and I'd appreciate any support I can get, especially from colleagues within the Welsh Ambulance Service - even it's just beeping your horns - or providing cake and chips - my colleagues in WAST, who know me, know how much I like my chips. It would also be handy to know that a defibrillator isn't too far away!!!! 

I'll be providing STRAVA updates on my training from time to time however I can't share training rides done at home, daily, on the turbo trainer and bike. I will be providing an update each day on the ride's progress on here to show where I am.

Please, if you can, support me in raising money for this fantastic and worthwhile organisation who rely on fundraising and donations to provide the magnificent services they do.