Inspired by the stories of sports names, locals and friends, he is raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association
Hamish, the landlord of the Luckwell Pub in Bedminster is cycling from John O Groats to Lands End with two of his mates in May to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease charities(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
A Bristol pub landlord and two of his regulars are embarking on a cycle challenge which will see them ride from John O’Groats in Scotland, to Land’s End in Cornwall in May.
Hamish Williams runs The Luckwell pub in Bedminster and is heading off on the challenge on May 18, with his friends Chris Bartlett and Sean Matthews (as well as ‘Scottish Kev’ who will be providing support as he drives his van alongside them) – all to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA).
The impact the disease has on people’s lives has affected the men personally, having seen how it has changed the lives of not only their sporting heroes, but locals and even close friends.
Hamish tells BristolLive: “I watch a lot of Rugby League and I saw the story of Rob Burrows and the great work Kevin Sinfield has done and I am in awe of them really. Then recently we saw Syd Lawrence pass away from it and he would come in the pub every now and then, so his partner has been keen to get involved with our challenge.
“Marcus Stewart (who is also living with this disease) is also keen to get involved. We contacted Kevin Sinfield through the Motor Neurone Disease charity and he’s going to do a few legs of the journey with us coming through Manchester.
“So we’re cycling from John O Groats to Lands End in 21 days. We’ll try to make it shorter if we can. We’re trying to get Thatchers on board as a sponsor, we’ve got Guinness involved and Butcombe, and a lot of local companies are involved, too.
“I just want to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease. One of my mates died of it, Pat Wharton, and I had known him since he was about 14. He died a couple of months back and left a wife and two lovely kids.
“So over the history of this disease – from what I’ve seen through Rob Burrows’ story, Syd Lawrence, and my mate Pat, it hits home for me personally. I’m 61 in April and I just think I’ve wanted to do something like this for a while and if I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it.”
Landlord Hamish Williams, Chris Bartlett and Sean Mathews outside the Luckwell Pub in Bedminster(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
In order to raise money, Hamish and his team have set up a JustGiving page with a target of raising £10,000 for this cause. And, during the journey itself, they will be popping into 22 pubs between the start and end points, where further fundraising activities will be taking place.
Hamish says his training is well underway ahead of their start date on May 18. He told BristolLive: “I’ve not been on a bike since I was probably 15, so we’ve got someone in to help us with training before we head off – we’ve been out riding round the local parks and also on exercise bikes in the pub!
“My pub is part of a group called Proper Pubs, which is a management team for Admiral Taverns, so we’re stopping at 22 pubs on the way down. They’re all doing events and raising money for us, with charity pots and things like that.
“We’re starting from John O Groats and people have told us it’s actually easier going the other way – so we may come to regret that choice a bit. But there will be a big map in The Luckwell back home and my wife will be putting a pin in each location each day to show everyone where we are.
“When we pass through Bristol, we’ll be coming down through Kingswood, stopping at the Cosham pub, which is one of ours, and then we’ll be coming to The Luckwell, of course, so I can hopefully get a good night’s sleep in my own bed for that part of the journey! We’ll have events on then too.
‘We refuse to stand by’
“Then two weeks after we’ve finished, we’ll have a big party to celebrate with bands and hopefully Bristol Bears, Bristol City and Gloucester and Edinburgh rugby teams will donate signed shirts for a massive auction to raise even more money.”
In his poignant JustGiving page description, Hamish wrote: “MND is a cruel disease. It robs people of their ability to move, speak, and eventually breathe, while their minds remain sharp. We’ve seen the devastation it causes – not just in headlines, but in our own lives and community…
“At The Luckwell, we refuse to stand by. This ride is our way of saying: we see you, we care, and we will fight for a future without MND. Every mile we pedal is for those who can’t. Every pound raised will fund research, care, and hope.
“Please support us – whether it’s a donation, sharing our page, or cheering us on. Together, we can make a difference. This challenge is about more than a bike ride – it’s about coming together as a community to make a difference. Join us in supporting families affected by MND. Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to a cure.”