Why did Madness4Charity Start?
A Personal Awakening
For me, the catalyst was my Dad’s diagnosis with cancer in 2004. At just 24 years old, it became a wake-up call—a stark reminder that life is more fleeting than we realise. In response, I resolved to undertake a challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support: not a 10k run, nor a bath of beans (though those are far from easy themselves), but an ascent of Kilimanjaro, the world's tallest free-standing mountain and the fourth highest among the seven summits. Something deep within me—previously undiscovered—was awakened, and I found myself pushing well beyond the boundaries of casual five-a-side football or leisurely bike rides with friends.
The Turning Point
Kilimanjaro gave me the fuel, but the fire truly ignited in London. In 2008, while down for a wedding, my best friend Matt passed away unexpectedly in his sleep. This profound loss marked a pivotal moment, intensifying my sense of purpose and driving me further along the path of charity and personal challenge.
Finally, Welcome...
Hello and welcome to my website! I’m Eddie and with me is Ribble, my crazy but awesome spaniel!
Since climbing Kilimanjaro for Macmillan and the wonderful nurses who cared for my Dad, I’ve taken on the Yorkshire 3 peaks 5 times in 5 days, the Alternative Triathlon - kayak Windermere, cycled to London and ran the London marathon all within 6 days. I've climbed the national 3 peaks cycling between them and visiting the highest pubs in Wales, England and Scotland! But you can read more about that in the previous challenges section if you are that bored…So its time for a new challenge, the Madness4Charity Challenge 26/27, 8 crazy challenges starting in November 2026 for Clatterbridge, Cardiac Risk in the Young, Andy's Man Club, Tommy’s and Maudy Relief. So I shall be training hard, with lots of cycling, big walks with my trusty spaniel Ribble, a few runs and a few rounds of Pilates to try and get into some sort of shape to drag myself through to July next year.