Why I’m putting myself through 12 months of hell for Sense

Property developer and TV personality, Rob Lloyd, is halfway through 12 months of gruelling challenges for Sense. He explains why he’s putting himself through it. 

I’m Rob, you might recognise me off the telly – I’ve been on Channel 4’s ‘Secret Millionaire’ and ITV’s ‘Real Housewives of Cheshire’. And I’m utterly exhausted. 

Since March I’ve been pushing myself to the limit by skydiving, abseiling (I hate heights), and conquering mountains. 

It’s not easy. I’ve lost over a stone in weight and have had to get a nutritionist and a professional coach to help me plan my exercise regimen. I haven’t had a single drink of alcohol since Christmas! I’ve done an SAS boot camp which was the hardest 48-hour physical and mental challenge I have ever had in my life. 

And it’s not over yet. I’ve got so much planned, but the big finale challenge is going to be a 500-mile, three-week challenge walking, cycling and running. It’s going to be brutal. All my challenges in 2021 will lead up to this one. 

Sense gives families hope 

During the toughest times, I remind myself why I’m supporting Sense. It’s people like four-year-old Mia and three-year-old Charlie. They were both born with rare genetic disorders which affected their vision, hearing and mobility. It also caused lots of other complex health issues.

The news was devastating for their parents, Andrew and Nikki, but through the support of the Sense Family Centre in Peterborough, they found out how to play with their children and experience new activities, together as a family. 

I have a family myself and can only imagine how challenging it must have been for Andrew and Nikki. And how important and vital it was that there was specialist support available right from the start. 

Why am I doing this now? 

It’s a good question. I’m a big supporter of Sense. I’ve raised money for them before – I ran the London Marathon – and even provided some expertise (I’m a property developer) to help them open some new charity shops. 

But over the last couple of years, I’ve been in a battle with cancer, and it has made me really think about what more I can do with my life, how I can give back – to families like Charlie and Mia’s. And that’s how I came up with the idea for my ‘Sense-less Challenge’. 

I can’t wait for my hellish 12 months to be over. I also know what the money we raise will do for families like Andrew and Nikki’s.

Thanks, in advance, for any support you can offer.