Ross MacDonald and Brian MacDonald have raised over £32,000 with their Land's End to John O'Groats cycling challenge
The two-week LEJOG ride covered 23,218m of climbing for music therapy.
Ross MacDonald of The 1975 and Brian MacDonald of PVRIS have raised more than £32,000 for Nordoff and Robbins after completing a gruelling two-week cycling journey spanning 1,180 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats.
Joined by friends Darren and Matt, the group tackled the full length of the British mainland, navigating hailstones, high winds, mechanical failures and physical injuries along the way. Daily distances reached up to 100 miles, with total elevation gains of 23,218m across the fortnight - roughly equivalent to climbing Mount Everest two and a half times.
Donations, which include Gift Aid, remain open until 30th April, with the total so far enough to fund around 400 music therapy sessions through the charity.
Reflecting on the journey, Ross said: "What an experience! I think it will take a little while to really sink in as there isn't much time to process what's going on whilst you're in the middle of it… My body isn't entirely convinced that I don't have to get on a bike again yet, but I'm incredibly proud of what we've managed to do. There were some dark moments that pushed me beyond the limit of what I thought I was mentally and physically capable of and some tremendous, euphoric moments of sheer joy. To do that with three close friends was an honour. And to do it whilst raising money for Nordoff and Robbins is such a privilege. I can't believe how much money we've been able to raise and how many people will benefit from it. They do such amazing work and I firmly believe music therapy has a vital and incredible impact on those in need. Please keep donating if you haven't already!"
Brian added: "When Ross first came to me with this idea I had no clue what to expect, but I knew it would be something truly special. After visiting the Nordoff and Robbins centre in London to meet Ruby, take part in a music therapy session and see for myself how much music therapy helped her, I was 100% convinced. It was so, so tough, but now I can look back fondly on this brilliant adventure and feel a great sense of pride in what we did and the charity we did it for. The thoughtful messages kept us going through some tough times on the road, and the donations will go a long way in helping Nordoff and Robbins support people across the UK through music therapy."
Nordoff and Robbins' Director of Fundraising, Sandy Trappitt, said: "We can't thank Ross, Brian, Darren and Matt enough for taking on this enormous challenge to help raise money for Nordoff and Robbins. Since The 1975 received Best Group at the O2 Silver Clef Awards in 2024, Ross and the band have been so supportive, and we're so grateful to the four riders and everyone that's donated. The outpouring of kind words across their journey was inspirational for us all. The money raised will support us in training more music therapists and delivering more music therapy sessions, so that more people can benefit from music therapy now and in the future."
Nordoff and Robbins are the UK's largest music therapy charity, training therapists and delivering sessions to people living with conditions ranging from dementia to autism. Training each new therapist costs the organisation £19,000.
Joined by friends Darren and Matt, the group tackled the full length of the British mainland, navigating hailstones, high winds, mechanical failures and physical injuries along the way. Daily distances reached up to 100 miles, with total elevation gains of 23,218m across the fortnight - roughly equivalent to climbing Mount Everest two and a half times.
Donations, which include Gift Aid, remain open until 30th April, with the total so far enough to fund around 400 music therapy sessions through the charity.
Reflecting on the journey, Ross said: "What an experience! I think it will take a little while to really sink in as there isn't much time to process what's going on whilst you're in the middle of it… My body isn't entirely convinced that I don't have to get on a bike again yet, but I'm incredibly proud of what we've managed to do. There were some dark moments that pushed me beyond the limit of what I thought I was mentally and physically capable of and some tremendous, euphoric moments of sheer joy. To do that with three close friends was an honour. And to do it whilst raising money for Nordoff and Robbins is such a privilege. I can't believe how much money we've been able to raise and how many people will benefit from it. They do such amazing work and I firmly believe music therapy has a vital and incredible impact on those in need. Please keep donating if you haven't already!"
Brian added: "When Ross first came to me with this idea I had no clue what to expect, but I knew it would be something truly special. After visiting the Nordoff and Robbins centre in London to meet Ruby, take part in a music therapy session and see for myself how much music therapy helped her, I was 100% convinced. It was so, so tough, but now I can look back fondly on this brilliant adventure and feel a great sense of pride in what we did and the charity we did it for. The thoughtful messages kept us going through some tough times on the road, and the donations will go a long way in helping Nordoff and Robbins support people across the UK through music therapy."
Nordoff and Robbins' Director of Fundraising, Sandy Trappitt, said: "We can't thank Ross, Brian, Darren and Matt enough for taking on this enormous challenge to help raise money for Nordoff and Robbins. Since The 1975 received Best Group at the O2 Silver Clef Awards in 2024, Ross and the band have been so supportive, and we're so grateful to the four riders and everyone that's donated. The outpouring of kind words across their journey was inspirational for us all. The money raised will support us in training more music therapists and delivering more music therapy sessions, so that more people can benefit from music therapy now and in the future."
Nordoff and Robbins are the UK's largest music therapy charity, training therapists and delivering sessions to people living with conditions ranging from dementia to autism. Training each new therapist costs the organisation £19,000.
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