1/ Here is the real start of my cycling story, my father John Patrick Maher in Eastbourne 1947. My grandparents were nurses at St Mary’s Paddington- pre-NHS. Dad & his sister Ann were initially evacuated to Plymouth then post-war stayed with a friend here.

2/ Dad got a scholarship to the Grammar school. Immigrant Irish Catholic nurses sons didn’t generally get these opportunities at this time. He then went on to study Chemistry at Imperial College under Dennis Evans & Geoffrey Wilkinson’s lab - a Nobel Laureate.

5/ So if your an avid cyclist in your family/a friend stops, check in with them, ask why. Encourage them to see a GP if they aren’t well- we are still open.

6/ In my @movemoresheff role, I’m involved in encouraging others to adopt cycling & activity, to do so understanding people’s stories & what is important to them is absolutely key.

3/ He became a lecturer in Chemistry at @BristolUni in 1964 & stayed there til his retirement in 1993. He cycled to work each day, was an active member of Bristol Cyclebag, a forerunner of @Sustrans he taught cycling proficiency @BrsPtfa for 25 years.

4/ in his retirement he continued cycling instruction to children & rode his bike everyday. In hindsight him stopping cycling was an indication there was something wrong. This was January 2011 & he died on this day, 2011.