On 9th May 2009 I embarked on a gruelling 23,000 mile round the world journey to raise a staggering £27,000 for Capability. Riding a BMW Adventure motorcycle, I managed to circumnavigate the planet on a once-in-a-lifetime expedition from Edinburgh, Scotland across Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, Siberian Russia, Japan, USA, England, Wales and Ireland. 'I thought that doing such a crazy thing would  realise a personal dream and allow me to help me to give something back.  I decided on a theme for the project ...Challenge and Charity. It was a personal challenge and the perfect charity seemed to be Capability. Through a personal friend who worked with Capability I had seen the fantastic work being carried out by the charity and heard personal statements from parents and carers about the help they had received'.

It was a particularly emotional experience for my fellow rider, and wheelchair user David Burdus, who was back in the saddle for the first time in more than twenty years after he was left paralysed after a horrific crash. David joined me on the European leg of the trip thanks to help from John Boyle and a specially adapted Martin Conquest three-wheeler which he drove from his wheelchair. David said, "The trip is significant landmark in my life.  I can look back on it and take some very special memories away with me. I never thought I would be able to achieve anything like this."

We presented a cheque for £27,000 GBP to Capability Scotland on 14th April 2010 at Capability Scotland headquarters. A big thanks to all the sponsors,  all who contributed to the can collections, raffles, auctions, sales and to the folks that donated to the charity on the way round.

Last but not least a very big thanks to David Burdus, John Boyle and Graeme Bruce for their help and support and to Pam and the girls for letting me go!

To view the whole adventure visit the blog below: