Fundraising total keeps growing!

The Willmott brothers alongside their extended family and friends have now raised £18,756 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association charity since their mother sadly passed away from the disease in February 2014. Team Willmott consists of PhD student Ash Willmott and his brothers Aaron and Ryan.

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive disease that attacks the motor neurones or nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Degeneration of the motor neurones leads to weakness and wasting of muscles causing increasing loss of mobility in the limbs, difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing.

MND can affect any adult at any age; the number of people who develop MND each year is about two in every 100,000 people and currently seven in every 100,000 people are living with MND in the UK.

The Willmott brothers (Aaron, Ryan & Ash) have completed many challenges over the years with many of the sport and exercise science staff and PhD students also getting involved. They ran the Brighton and London marathons, organised a team of 60 family and friends to run the Half Marathon in Windsor (the first and only marathon for many of them), rode 200km down the West coast of Ireland and completed various Tough Mudders and fund raising events including the Ice Bucket Challenge. They were also invited to a MND AGM event to celebrate the £7million raised by the ice bucket challenge where they met HRH Princess Anne.

They hope to hit the £20k marker for the charity before February 2017 but more importantly raise awareness for the MND Association. This will allow current sufferers and carers to receive the vital care and support they need.