Alan B's charity cycle run from Pentonville Road to Pompey

A message from my friend Dr Burnett

"We have been raising money for various causes in Ethiopia over the last three years. Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest countries, with a GDP equivalent to the turnover of Starbucks.

Our interest is primarily the health and wellbeing of older people, and we visit Ethiopia each November and pass on funds to different organisations there. As we pay their own expenses on these visits, every penny raised here in the UK goes directly to the causes they help, with accounts provided each year to ensure the money is going where it matters.

Only about 10% of older people in Ethiopia receive a pension (these tend to be ex-government and ex-army), so those who do not have family support are often destitute and beg on the streets.

Our family fundraising efforts over the past few years have included sponsored runs, walks and dinners, as well as the auction of my much-loved sporting memorabilia!

As we have got to know the country over the last three years, we now plan to dedicate our money and time to a single cause. This project is in Awassa in the Rift Valley (where the world's best coffee comes from), on the main road to Kenya. The local pensioner association has constructed a building for a medical centre to cater for the 1000+ older people in the town (see photo). The only, but huge, drawback is that they have no medical equipment or drugs.

In 2009, we as a family, along with the Portsmouth Pensioners' Association, are committed to raising £6,500 to change this situation. So far this year, we have sent £3,600 to get the project started. The association has secured the services of a local pharmacist to acquire the medicines, and local doctors and nurses to volunteer their services in the centre.

And that's where you come in... by sponsoring my cycle run from Pentonville Road to Portsmouth.

To help with our fundraising, you can send a cheque, made out to 'Portsmouth Pensioners' Assocation', to:

Derek Wareham
Treasurer
Portsmouth Pensioners' Association
100 Percy Road
Southsea
Hampshire
PO4 0BL

We're not yet a registered charity, so unfortunately we're unable to do this through Just Giving. Anyone who donates to this good cause will be updated towards the end of the year, after our November visit.

Many thanks for your help, and best wishes for the future."