Caistor family cycling and walking for CJD Cure fund

Nikki French, with Stevie and Elise at last years big fundraising event

Andy French died last July at the age of 52 from Sporadic CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease), a rare and fatal degenerative brain disease affecting just one in a million people per year worldwide.

Since then, his wife Nikki, daughters Stevie and Elise, plus a host of family and friends have set about raising money for research into the disease, and for the hospice which helped care for him in his final days.

In less than six months, they have raised £5,935 for the Cure CJD campaign and £4,400, out of a pledged £5,000, for St Andrew’s Hospice.

They hope their latest events will add a lot more to the pot.

On May 31, A group of around 20 people, from the south and north of England, will be setting off from Horton Kirby, Kent to cycle the 210 miles over three days, to reach Caistor Market Place on Saturday, June 2.

Along the way, they will be stopping at Leigh Academy, Dartford, where Andy went to secondary school and Fleetdown United FC, Dartford, where Andy played junior football.

Nikki said: “We are hoping the AJ’s Flyers cycle will be a huge success and we really hope we can get local people involved.

“People can join for some of the journey or all of it, for a small fee of £5 - so calling all cyclists.

“To celebrate the massive achievement we are holding a disco in Caistor Sports and Social Club in the evening of June 2 too, when we will be presenting St Andrew’s with a cheque.”

If cycling isn’t your thing, a ‘Walk for Andy’ is planned for March 31.

This is a ladies-only event, starting from the White Hart in Caistor and taking a 15-mile circular route. Entry is £5 and/or sponsorship.

Both events are on the Frenchie’s Fundraising for Cure CJD Facebook page

Donations can be made through www.justgiving.com/fundraising/danny-goldsbrough2.