The team of four plan to kayak 160 miles along the River Thames from its source in Lechlade to central London. They will then be jumping on bikes and cycling 150 miles back up to Lincolnshire.

In the Midlands, the area with the highest prevalence was Sandwell and West Birmingham where 9.58 per cent of people were diagnosed with diabetes, followed by Leicester City (9.36 per cent), and Walsall (9.33 per cent). The lowest in the Midlands was South Warwickshire with 6 per cent while the national average was 7.1 per cent.

Moving more when you have diabetes is an important way of managing your condition and making a few small changes in your daily life can give your health a real boost.

Josh Golding (pictured), 28, decided to take on the challenge as a thank you and to boost funds for research.

The professional athlete, who coaches at Kettering Tennis Club, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was eight years old.

Matt Wells, 28, (pictured) set himself a challenge at the start of 2021 to ensure he kept fit and active and to raise money to support the Diabetes UK's vital work. 

Father-of-four Andy Granville (pictured) is taking on the 288-mile gruelling challenge in April. He was inspired by his youngest daughter Esmé, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2019 aged just four years old.

They were chosen for the Diabetes UK ‘Good Diabetes Care in School Award 2020’ because of the support they provide to students with the condition, the help they offer to manage their diabetes safely, and the care it takes to include them in all school activities. 

George Elokobi, 34, now lives with his young family in Essex and wants to share his passion for healthy living, emotional well-being and overcoming obstacles to support and inspire people living with diabetes.
 

Jeremy Cowell, 54, (pictured) is committed to getting as fit as possible and losing a total of 18 stone in around 18 months to improve life for himself and his family.

His aim is to reach the weight he was when he married wife Kylie, and having shed seven stone this year, the couple are already reaping the benefits of Jeremy’s increased mobility and zest for life.

Clare Abbis, 42, who has 13-year-old twin daughters Lauren and Sophie and 11 year old Emily, says her life was turned upside in May this year when Sophie (pictured) suddenly became very unwell.