SIR: I'm Graeme Obree, the cyclist who twice became world individual pursuit champion and twice held the Blue Riband world one-hour record, on a bike I made using part of an old washing machine. I'm writing to ask you if you will join me in supporting an exciting event called the Cycle for Life to raise money for the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF), one of the world's leading cancer research organisations.

On August 26 this year a team of 10 soldiers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders will set off on an incredible non-stop cycling relay around Britain. They will cover over 4,000 miles in just ten days. They are undertaking the challenge to raise funds for ICRF and to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of HM The Queen as their Colonel-in-Chief. She is also the charity's Patron.

I am asking people across the UK if they will support the Argylls and their Cycle for Life and raise funds for ICRF's pioneering work. You can join in by doing a sponsored cycle ride or, if you don't cycle, maybe you could hold another event such as a coffee morning or bring and buy sale.

One in three of us in the UK will be affected by cancer at some point in our lives and one in four will die from the disease' so the work of ICRF is vitally important for us all. The charity relies overwhelmingly on the public for the £53 million it needs every year to continue with its research programmes. If you decide to support Cycle for Life, the money you raise really could help save someone's life. For an information pack, please contact ICRF's Northern Appeals Office on 0113 231 9828 who will be pleased to send you the details.

Thank you for your support - and watch out for news of the Argylls' marathon cycle in your newspapers!

Graeme Obree

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.