Two keen cyclists took to the saddle this summer to ride over 300 miles from London to Paris, all in aid of St Richard’s Hospice.
The two friends Angela Preece and Janice Wallace, both from Claines, set off on 20th July to complete their international challenge in just four days, raising over £4,000 to support hospice care in Worcestershire.
Angela and Janice are both keen cyclists who met last year via a Facebook cycling blog and have been cycling together ever since. The pair heard tales of others that had completed the long distance challenge and thought it sounded great. It was a big challenge, however it sounded realistic for them and wasn’t too out of reach.
The friends decided to dedicate their challenge to St Richard’s as the local hospice had cared for a number of their family members and friends and they wanted to help ensure that other patients and their families would be able to benefit from the compassionate end of life care the local charity provides.
Their four-day adventure began on Wednesday 20th July at Selsdon Park, South London, from where they pedalled through the picturesque Kent countryside to Dover, before crossing the Channel to Calais. The pair joined around 180 other charity cyclists on the iconic and poignant route through traditional French market towns with amazing views of the rolling, green fields of Northern France, passing the war memorials and cemeteries of the Somme. They then experienced the thrill of the final leg up the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe, following in the tyre tracks of Tour de France cycling greats, and were finally greeted by their family and loved ones who were there to support them.
Miss Wallace said, “The highlight of this amazing trip was to ride en masse past the Louvre and then around the Arc de Triomphe. The crowds were amazing, it was an incredible atmosphere and very emotional. Unbelievably, we managed to avoid punctures and falls over the 320 miles. The support we received from friends and family and everyone along the route has been amazing and we are both keen to take part in another overseas cycling challenge for St Richard’s.”
To donate to their fund in aid of St Richard’s Hospice visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ANGIE-GLANVILLE