Man takes on 500-mile Glasgow to Oxford cycle challenge

David Farrar is looking to complete the challenge in a week starting yesterday, Tuesday, August 22. 

The challenge is in aid of Alzheimer's Society and to raise awareness of the disease, as well as funds to donate to the charity.

If you would like to donate towards David's challenge or keep up to date with his journey you can do so by clicking HERE

David's Grandad, Steve in Aden when he was 25 (Image: David Farrar)

And he has a close connection to the charity as his grandfather, Steve, suffers from Alzheimer's and says he understands how hard it is to see people suffer from it.

Steve used to work as an engineer in the Royal Air Force.

David said: "During lockdown, I took the opportunity to go and live with my grandpa for six months.

"It was the early stages at the time and we didn't know how or what was affecting my grandpa. 

"My family all live down in Oxford but I work and stay in Glasgow, so I had this mad idea of cycling home.

"The aim is to end my journey at his care home and surprise him, but to ultimately raise awareness for people as many families go through this and it is such a hard illness to deal with."

David, who is originally from Oxford but now stays in Hyndland in Glasgow's West End, runs his own business mobile print studio called MoPS

He says that the route he has chosen to take was picked for its "picturesque" moments.

Over the seven days, David will be cycling from Glasgow to Edinburgh, Edinburgh to Berwick Upon Tweed, Berwick Upon Tweed to Sunderland, Sunderland to York and York to Sheffield. 

Once arriving at Sheffield, he will be stopping in to see an Auntie that he has not seen for some time before completing the final two legs of his journey to Birmingham and then his grandfather's care home in Whitney, Oxfordshire. 

The full journey will roughly be around 500 miles.

David will be cycling with a T-shirt on that features his grandad's face that he printed (Image: Colin Mearns)

And David says the support of his family has been amazing but his mum was initially worried about him tackling the task. 

He said: "The support on my GoFundMe so far has been amazing as the total is sitting at £850. 

"It is simply overwhelming the messages I have had from people after I said I was doing this.

"My mum at the beginning was very worried about me doing it, but after discussing it more she has given me more support than I ever could have imagined.

"I am looking forward to turning up in Oxford and the surprise for my grandpa. It is all for a good cause."