Sisters tackle London to Brighton bike ride for mental health charity MIND in memory of father
A woman is taking on the epic London to Brighton bike ride this weekend, in memory of her father.
And Grace Coomber hopes to raise awareness and vital funds for mental health charity MIND after her father took his own life earlier this year.
The 27-year-old will be joined by her sister to take on the 54-mile challenge on Sunday, which is also poignantly Father’s Day.
Their father, Christopher French Drayton, from Newbury, was 63 when he died at the end of April.
“Cycling was his passion,” Ms Coomber said. “We would often do cycle rides around Newbury and up to Coombe Gibbet and Walbury.
“He did the London to Brighton bike ride last year in 3 hours 50 minutes with a colleague and a friend.
“My sister mentioned that it fell on Father’s Day and it felt really appropriate.
“I have one of my dad’s cycling jerseys to wear and I will be using the bike I bought with dad about two years ago.”
She said that her sister is hoping to complete the ride in the same time that their father did last year, but she will be taking a little longer.
She said her father’s death came as “a massive shock” to everyone and he had seemed fine when she Facetimed him from Australia just days before he died.
“Me and my dad were very, very close,” she added. “I have lost my best friend.
“When people suffer from mental health issues, they put on a brave face.
“My dad was a very proud man and he didn’t want to rely on anyone.
“It goes to show that you can come across as the happiest person.
“I just wish he had spoken up. I would have spent every last penny helping him.
“Life is completely different now, but I want to help anyone else in that situation.”
Ms Coomber has already tripled her £500 fundraising target for MIND but says she wants to continue raising awareness of what the charity does.
“I am trying to raise as much money to donate to the charity MIND and their aim is to make sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone,” she said.
“I am doing this in my dad’s memory and I know he will be in my heart cheering me along the way.”
You can add to her total here.
If you need support you can contact the following organisations:
Mind: www.mind.org.uk – 0300 123 3393 or text 86463
The Samaritans: www.samaritans.org – call 116 123 – email jo@samaritans.org
Eight Bells for Mental Health: www.eightbellsnewbury.co.uk – call 07387 962220 – email coordinator@eightbellsnewbury.co.uk
You can visit www.recoveryinmind.org and find a number of resources to help you look after your mental health.
Mental Health Crisis Team – call if you need urgent help, but it’s not an emergency 0300 365 0300 or 0300 365 9999
Sane Line – www.sane.org.uk – call 0300 304 7000
Childline: www.childline.org.uk – 0800 1111
