Colin’s Training For Portsmouth Charity Ride

Colin Whittaker followed in his father’s footsteps when he joined Christie Intruder Alarms in 1980.  Having started as an Alarm Engineer, Colin is now our CCTV & Access Control System Designer for the PO and SO (Portsmouth and Southampton) postcode areas.

Many of you will remember his father, Dave, who joined us in 1979 when he came out of the Navy and stayed until he retired in March 2002.  He was a great character – and employee – and very popular.

It was a huge shock to us all when he died suddenly in December 2005 from a heart attack, aged just 67.

Colin has been a keen cyclist since he was 11 so, in memory of his Dad, he has decided to take part in the British Heart Foundation’s ‘Ride Round the Harbours’ on 8 June.

The bike ride rather unusually involves two ferry crossings between Portsmouth and Gosport and between Southsea and Hayling Island. The route takes in Havant and Fareham and some local landmarks, including the Spinnaker Tower, the Hill Forts and Nelson’s Needle along with great views from Portsdown hill-top.

Although the 32 miles would daunt most of us, Colin, who is an all-weather cyclist, has been training by regularly riding along the Southdowns Way from Waterlooville all the way to Twyford Down, Winchester, or in the other direction to Kingley Vale (between Peterfield and Chichester) and back and is used to hill climbs.  He will be riding his Trek Fuel 80 full-suspension mountain bike but will be putting on his ‘slick’ tyres for the event.

Colin says, “Until something like this happens to someone close to you, you just take your heart for granted.  I didn’t know, for example, that someone has a heart attack every two minutes and that about 30% of those who have heart attacks die.

“It’s a way of saying ‘thank you’ to my Dad for all he did for me.  I just wish he was here to cheer me on.

“I’m looking forward to it.  If the money I raise gives just one person a chance to live, it will have been worth it.”

If you would like to sponsor Colin, please email him at colinw@ciaalarms.co.uk.