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London to Brighton bike ride challenge for Newbury woman who sustained brain injury 28 years ago to raise money for Headway charity




A Newbury resident, who has lived with a brain injury for the past 28 years and thought she would never ride a bike again, has cycled 54 miles for charity, writes Grace Dowdney.

Anne-Marie Goldsmith, 57, took on the annual London to Brighton bike ride earlier this month to raise money for Headway, a charity that supports those affected by brain injury.

Anne-Marie and friend Claire cycled tandem during the bike ride to raise money for two charities and awareness of brain injury
Anne-Marie and friend Claire cycled tandem during the bike ride to raise money for two charities and awareness of brain injury

“Sharing my story has been liberating, and I feel there’s been a real shift in my very long, slow recovery, because I’ve just blocked it out for over 25 years,” she said.

At just 29-years-old, in 1997 Ms Goldsmith sustained a brain haemorrhage.

She then endured numerous surgeries, suffering complications resulting in a series of strokes and sensory epilepsy. She was also later diagnosed with PTSD.

She had to learn to walk again while adapting to her ‘new’ life post brain surgery.

Selfie time for the team at a well-deserved pit stop
Selfie time for the team at a well-deserved pit stop

She said she “found my own way of dealing with it – namely denial and avoidance”.

“It was almost like ‘this has happened, it’s not going to define me’, and therefore I just completely avoided it and it’s been festering away inside me more than I realised,” she added.

“The London to Brighton bike ride is a personal challenge I never thought possible.”

Having struggled with walking, balance, concentration and fatigue for decades, Ms Goldsmith never thought she’d get back on a bike again.

Selfie time for the team at a well-deserved pit stop
Selfie time for the team at a well-deserved pit stop

But she said the support of her friend Claire, as well as her twin sister Julie and friend Jo, saw her take on the challenge of a lifetime – cycling tandem from London’s Clapham Common to Brighton seafront.

“Our initial goal was to be able to cycle four miles to a local café and back, which we achieved on my third time on the tandem,” she said.

“Before I knew it, Claire had signed us up for the London to Brighton ride.”

And now the fearsome foursome have raised more than £5,000 for Headway UK.

These funds help the charity to continue frontline services, which include their freephone nurse-led helpline, Brain Injury Identity Cards, and Headway Emergency Fund.

Ms Goldsmith also raised money for Headway Thames Valley, which help rebuild lives after brain injury across Berkshire and South Oxfordshire.

She said: “Training for the ride and fundraising for such worthy causes has been a ‘line in the sand’ moment for me, in terms of acceptance and embracing the opportunities that come with it, as I continue moving forward.

“And we did it! We cycled every inch of the route including the infamous Ditchling Beacon. I can’t quite believe it.

Anne-Marie (far right), her twin sister Julie, and friends Claireand Jo completed the London to Brighton bike ride in aid of Headway – the brain injury association – and Headway Thames Valley
Anne-Marie (far right), her twin sister Julie, and friends Claireand Jo completed the London to Brighton bike ride in aid of Headway – the brain injury association – and Headway Thames Valley

“I’m so grateful for all the support, donations and words of encouragement, which really kept me going when the going got tough.”

Helen Craig, fundraising manager at Headway UK, said the group’s incredible efforts raising funds was a “powerful reminder of what’s possible with determination, courage, and friendship”.

“We are in awe of Anne-Marie and the grit she has shown in all her efforts to take on the London to Brighton cycle, and the incredible fundraising that she has successfully undertaken in support of the services run by Headway UK for people affected by brain injury,” she added.

Qudsia Rahim, fundraising manager at Headway Thames Valley, said: “We are incredibly grateful for Anne-Marie and her team’s outstanding fundraising efforts.

Anne-Marie and friend Claire cycled tandem during the bike ride to raise money for two charities and awareness of brain injury
Anne-Marie and friend Claire cycled tandem during the bike ride to raise money for two charities and awareness of brain injury

“We extend our deepest thanks for their dedication and hard work, because without this kind of community support, we wouldn’t be able to deliver our services to over 200 clients each year in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire.”

You can still support the fundraiser here.

According to a spokesperson for the Headway charity, every 90 seconds, someone is admitted to a UK hospital with a brain injury.

There were 335,409 UK hospital admissions for brain injury in 2023-24.



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