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Coventry University graduate jumps in saddle to help find cure for disease that changed his life
(LtoR): Trevor Cummings, Andy Simons and Mike Ashton from Cure Parkinson’s, Dr Clive Winters, Coventry University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Strategy and Governance), and Phill Robinson
University news / Alumni news
Wednesday 09 July 2025
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Two friends who met at Coventry University have cycled back to the city as part of a charity endeavour to raise funds in support of Parkinson’s research.
Phill Robinson, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s eight years ago, jumped into the saddle for the journey from his hometown of Leicester alongside his friend Trevor Cummings. They stopped off at Coventry University - where they met in 1985 as Computer Science students - to hand over a cheque for £10,000 to the charity Cure Parkinson's.
The ride was amazing. When the idea was first put to me I was having double heart bypass surgery in January and I thought ‘that sounds like a challenge’ as at that point I was sitting on the sofa not allowed to do any exercise.
So as part of the rehabilitation process I’ve been training with Trevor to do this ride, which has been a great challenge and to bring it back to where we first met has been great.
We couldn’t be happier to be back in Coventry where the two of us met many years ago as students. It was an amazing place to learn computer science and we both had great careers - all down to Coventry University.
Phill Robinson
One of Phill and Trevor’s lecturers during their time at Coventry University was the university’s now Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Latham CBE.
It is always wonderful to see that Coventry University lives fondly in the memory of former students which led to Phill and Trevor wanting to return here as part of their journey. Their efforts in the saddle have raised a fantastic amount of money and we wish them all the very best for the future.
Coventry University Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Latham CBE
The pair were joined on the ride to Coventry by Phill’s brother Richard and Trevor's friend Jim, before Jim and Trevor continued on to Evesham and then to the town of Lydney near to the Welsh border. There they were joined by the husband of another friend, Sian Burridge, who also lives with Parkinson’s, to pedal the final few miles to Sian’s hometown of Cardiff.
I came up with the idea of the ride because I wanted to help and support both Phill and Sian; the thing is though they don’t need my help. Therefore, to show my support I thought I can get on my bike and cycle for three days to raise funds towards research to find a cure or prevention for Parkinson’s disease, so that is what I am doing.
Trevor Cummings
This is such a heart-warming story of a group of friends coming together with two of their number who live with Parkinson's, cycling to raise funds so that we can find ways to slow, stop or reverse the condition.
Thank you so much from all of us to Trevor, Sian, Phill and all of the riders - every push on the pedal is taking us closer to a cure.
Mike Ashton, Chair of Trustees at Cure Parkinson’s
Find out more about Cure Parkinson’s.
