Staff from Teme Leisure took part in the Coast to Coast in a Day challenge on Saturday 25th June.
The team of ten from Teme Ludlow and satellite centres Church Stretton and Cleobury Mortimer have been training for months for the 150 mile road ride which begins in the Western Lake District and finishes by the sea in Whitby.
This iconic route – with stunning scenery – is cycled by hundreds of people every year, usually over several days.
General Manager Lee Hassan said: “The only way to successfully complete a challenge of this scale is to train hard and I hope that the local community will be inspired and motivated by our efforts. As Teme Leisure staff we see ourselves as Wellness ambassadors – positive role-models who support living a healthy lifestyle. I think it’s really important to practise what you preach.”
The group embarked on the event in aid of charity, Mr Hassan added. They chose to raise money for a current appeal by Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, in Shrewsbury, to buy specialist equipment.
The choice of charity is particularly poignant to Mr Hassan and another member of the group, Lydia Morgan, as they both had loved ones receive treatment at the cancer unit. Mr Hassan’s mother passed away last August after a brave battle against a brain tumour.
“You could say the charity is close to my heart,” he added. “Mum underwent treatment there, I’ve no doubt this gave her more time, which was precious to us as a family as it meant we were able to tick things off her bucket list.”
The charity has pledged to raise £750,000 by the end of 2016 to help fund an additional Linear Accelerator (LINAC) for the Cancer and Haematology at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
A LINAC is a machine that delivers radiotherapy treatment to cancer patients. The department already has two machines, but a third is desperately needed so that waiting times for treatment do not increase.
It’s not the first time that the Teme Leisure boss has fund-raised for Lingen Davies Cancer Fund. In his 20s while working at the Cleobury site for South Shropshire District Council he completed a cycling challenge from Clee Hill to Barmouth with a few friends, raising a staggering £8,000 to help build the cancer unit.
Joining him in his fund-raising challenge for Lingen Davies were Andrew ‘Stewy’ Stewardson, Lydia Morgan, Christian South, Ben Barnfield from Teme Ludlow; Nick Morris (duty manager), Ashley Wells, Shelley Townsend, and from Cleobury Mortimer Steve Adams, and Ben Dowbiggin.
They rode through the Yorkshire Dales, across the flat Vale of York and finally the Northern Valleys of the North York Moors before arriving at Whitby.
Suppliers to Teme Leisure – including Ludlow-based Pearce Cycles – have sponsored their specialist kit.
Anyone wishing to sponsor the team from Teme should visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Teme-Leisure.