Big Ride makes a difference

One of the areas we at Durham Big Ride look at is the impact the event has on the wider community.  To this end we have a trophy we present to groups or charities who take part in the events to further their money or profile.

This year the recipient of the Bramwell’s Business Challenge trophy is Taylan’s Awesome Son-Rise Journey.

David Horsley was on hand with some of the volunteers to take hold of the trophy recently and was very pleased to accept it on behalf of the group.

Please read the story below that gives a nice view on the charity.

Around 6 years ago our son Taylan was diagnosed with having severe Autism. At that time Taylan was finding it really difficult to relate to the world going on around him......he was unable to communicate his needs & what is normally an easy transition from toddler to little boy was a complete up-heaval for our little man.

We never gave up hope that things would somehow improve as the years passed by. Around the end of 2009 while searching for help to make Taylan's life more tolerable we came across the Son-Rise program. This organisation has high levels of success bringing children through their state of autism. After attending a seminar in the UK, we were totally convinced by what we had seen, and like every other set of parents, we wanted our child to fulfil his potential. Without special intervention, Taylan’s future is extremely limited. The success rate of the Son-Rise program instils hope in us for his freedom from this condition. It is difficult for us to understand fully the issue of autism and reversing it in Taylan, but we are diligently trying to do so for the sake of his future.

I n October 2010 we set up a playroom in our house and we started on the son-rise program. In January 2011 I went to London for a week of start up training with Anita, Taylan's school 1:1 worker. From then until now we have worked on the principals of son-rise with Taylan and some fantastic volunteers that work with him.

We have witnessed so many changes in Taylan's life that we had only dreamed about until we started this program, all of which you can read about on his web page.

www.helpingtaylan.co.uk or search on facebook for Taylan's awesome Son Rise journey.

 

We all had a fantastic day at the Durham Big Ride and The Beast and thank you for reading about our very special boy.
Lucy & David Horsley

Brian, receives recognition for being a ‘spoke in a wheel’.

A postman from Chester-le-Street has been given the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his service to a charity he founded 16 years ago.

Brian Milner, who along with a friend and fellow postman David Patterson BEM, founded Gateway Wheelers disabled cycling group, in 1996

Brian received his medal from the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham Sir Paul Nicholson at a low key ceremony at Durham County Cricket Club recently.

“It was a great honour to meet Sir Paul and to receive the medal in my home town with good friends and family around.” Said Brian

“The British Empire Medal (BEM) was revived this year to reward community and voluntary work and so it is a double honour to be one of the first to get the medal for my work with Gateway Wheelers.”

Sadly, the co-founder passed away in 2004 and because of this, the group were even more determined to continue their work with riding for all abilities:

‘When David passed away it was a big loss, but we all rallied together, took on the challenge and have continued the charity’s success,’

Indeed, the group, based at Durham Cricket Ground, has a vibrant group of cyclists who enjoy getting out on their bikes most weekends.

Brian received his BEM for, Services to Gateway Wheelers and Royal Mail but is quick to say that it is very much a team effort with the group:

“When I first received my letter it took a few days for what I had been awarded to sink in. At the end of the day I’m just one spoke in a big wheel at Gateway Wheelers and without the support of my family and volunteers none of this would be possible not forgetting Sarah our amazing development officer

Not to be left out of a glamorous tea party down at Buckingham Palace, Brian has been assured that he will be invited down next year.

“I have been told that, because I have been given my honour ‘at home’, I will be invited down to London to meet others and hopefully the Queen!”